


Extraordinary

by BlueLightningAndNexus



Series: Extraordinary Series [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Best Friends, Character Death, Childhood Friends, Depression, Doppelganger, Exchange students, Multiverse, Mystery, Parallel Universes, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, References to Depression, Science Fiction, Screenplay/Script Format, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 54,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24928426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueLightningAndNexus/pseuds/BlueLightningAndNexus
Summary: Over a year ago, Casca Novell's older brother was killed in a car accident. Every day is a struggle, as she copes with her grief and tries to honor his memory.But lately, strange stuff has been happening to her. Casca and her best friend Kai begin seeing alternate versions of themselves in the mirror, and the power keeps going out in their city. All of it seems connected to the two new transfer students, Pyrrha and Rin. Are they somehow connected to Casca's brother? Is Rin who he says he is?This is a miniseries written in script/screenplay format. Completed.
Series: Extraordinary Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055084
Kudos: 1





	1. Episode 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I initially wrote this as a television miniseries but I've since decided to publish it online. Quarantine really gave me a good excuse to finish this project. Enjoy!
> 
> The main characters all have names from some of my favorite series: Kai is from Legend of Korra, Rin is from Blue Exorcist, Casca is from Berserk, and Pyrrha is from RWBY. But don’t expect this series to resemble any of those, this is more of a mystery/character drama.

Scene 1:  
BLACK, SILENT

There is no sound, no light, absolutely nothing. Then, a voice begins to speak.

**Casca** : When I was 8 years old, my brother used these to explain atoms to me.

Suddenly, we have LIGHT. We see CASCA, age 15, dressed up nice and formally: she is in a black dress, heels, and her black hair is let down, coming down to her shoulders, a thin, gold headband holding it in place. In her hand, she is holding a single red LEGO BRICK, which she sets down.

The camera pans slightly to the side, and we see the wooden table she sets it down on: a small surface with various other miscellaneous pieces, combinations and configurations of Legos on them, varying in shape, size and complexity.

**Casca** : He’s 4 years older than me, and he started learning about atoms in his science class that day.

She looks completely calm, focused, her dark brown eyes glimmering slightly in the light. Yet, she has a small smile on her face as she remembers.

**Casca** : I’ll never forget that. It was quite simple when he explained it. Atoms are made up of various subatomic particles: protons, neutrons and electrons.

She gestures out towards the camera, which she is facing the direction of.

**Casca** , the small smile on her face growing larger: Though, I’m hoping you all know this.

The camera reverses. Rather than seeing her looking out at us, the camera shifts and is now behind her: in her foreground, the back of her black dress faces us, and in the background, we see rows upon rows audience members, all in varying pieces of formal dress, all fading into the dimly-lit room. In front of the audience members, three judges sit, two women and one man. The focus shifts, and as Casca begins to blur, the judges become clear, and they come into focus.

**Casca** : These three things all come together in various different combinations. 1 proton and 1 electron makes hydrogen; 2 of each makes helium; 3 makes Lithium, and so on.

She seems slightly nervous now. She looks out into the crowd. To the left, she sees her brother, KAL, a 20-year old with hair slicked back and dressed in a button-down white shirt and tie. He gestures for Casca to “breathe in”, and then “breathe out”, smiling as he does so, encouraging her along with kind eyes.

She smiles back, then turns to face the judges, confidence renewed. 

**Casca** : On a larger scale, this is how our world works. Different combinations of atoms under different circumstances produce new materials: glass, sand, concrete, wood, anything you can imagine. Atoms make up everything.

She holds up the lego brick in her hand, grabbing a blue brick. Both are eight-stud bricks.

**Casca** : Think of this like Legos. This is how Kal taught it to me. A single eight-stud brick has, by definition, no combination of its own; a combinations necessitates that other bricks are used with it.

Casca continues to speak, sticking the blue brick to the red one.

**Casca** : I’ve tested this out, and there are a total of 24 combinations I can make with these two bricks.

She smiles a bit, deciding to improvise for a moment and crack a joke.

**Casca** : Please, bear with me, but I promise this isn’t product placement.

She sticks it, allowing her smile to grow. The judges chuckle. Kal looks proud.

SMASH CUT, MORNING, CASCA’S BEDROOM 

The laughter carries over into the next shot.

We catch a brief glimpse of Casca, rolled up in the thin, white sheets of her bed, laying on her side, back to the camera. It is dawn, and blueish light spills in from the window and past her gray curtains. This is the first shot in a montage, as the shots alternate between Casca speaking and Casca in her room.

CUT, BACK AT THE AUDITORIUM

She reaches over and grabs another brick, this time a yellow one, the camera zooming in and lingering on it.

**Casca** : If we add a third brick…

SMASH CUT, MORNING, CASCA’S BEDROOM

Casca rolls over, facing the camera, eyes still closed, her hair shorter and messier. This is in the FUTURE, in present-day. She is 17. Her voice from the speech carries over.

**Casca** , in the past, voiceover:…that number of combinations skyrockets to 1060.

BACK AT THE AUDITORIUM

Casca continues to speak, now putting a green brick and a second red one on top of the original three.

**Casca** : These combinations keep going on, and multiplying, but they are still finite nonetheless.

Setting the now five-brick stack on the table, she briefly looks at it, then back at the judges.

**Casca** : This is how our universe works. Atoms arrange themselves to form substances, buildings, planets, stars, comets, plants, and even people like you and I.

**Casca** : In the 1910s the American Astronomer Vesto Silpher observed that spiral galaxies—that is, galaxies in which the stars and gas clouds are concentrated in a distinct winding shape that looks almost like a pinwheel---appeared to be moving away from the Earth. 

**Casca** : In 1922 the Russian physicist and mathematician Alexander Friedmann offered a pioneering theory that the universe was expanding, governed by a set of equations he developed that are now known as the Friedmann Equations. 

SMASH CUT, MORNING, CASCA’S BEDROOM

Casca reaches towards an alarm clock on her bedside table, before frowning at the time on it. She jumps out of bed and begins getting ready, but as she moves, the camera stays still, lingering on her bed, and on a picture of Kal on the bedside table. 

Throughout all of this, her past self’s voice carries over.

**Casca** , voiceover: A few years later, in 1927 the Belgian Catholic Priest Georges Lemaitre proposed an expanding model for the universe to explain the observed shifts of the spiral galaxies, Lemaitre based his work on the theories of Albert Einstein AND he independently derived Friedmann's equations for an expanding universe. 

BACK AT THE AUDITORIUM

**Casca** : Through all of this, an expanding model of the universe is the only thing that makes sense. This means as the universe expands…

As she speaks, she begins to add more legos to her five-brick stack.

**Casca** : new combinations of atoms arise, but again, these combinations have a limit, a finite cap.

With her free left hand, she cracks her pointer finger nonchalantly, a nervous tic of hers.

**Casca** : We have no evidence to suggest that the universe’s expansion will end anytime soon. And even if it does, it will likely occur billions of years from now.

Looking back at KAL now, we see him do the same thing, mirroring his sister’s habit, a habit she got from him. 

She’s sounding more confident, more in control. Her words are beginning to have a certain gravity and power to them. 

**Casca** : In much the same way that I can only arrange LEGOS in so many ways, atoms of our universe can only be arranged in so many ways. So it’s reasonable to conclude that these combinations will repeat. And maybe, if the universal growth rate is left unchecked, it will grow to the extent that entire planets are seemingly reproduced. And why should it stop there?

...Then the power starts getting weird. Above Casca, the lights illuminating her composed figure suddenly flicker, just for a second or two, but enough to throw her off her groove. 

**Casca** : What?

The electrical problems stop as quickly as they started. She looks confused, puzzled for a bit, staring at the lights above her instead of the judges in front of her. After a moment of this, she shakes her head, trying to refocus herself. 

**Casca** : A-anyways, where was I? Ah, yes. Why should it stop there? Entire stars, solar systems, and galaxies may be recreated, with only miniscule changes throughout. 

She begins to look wistful, and she starts to launch into a more elaborate explanation, the speed of her words increasing.

**Casca** : By this same logic, people may be recreated. There may be another version of you, or me, somewhere out in the cosmos. In fact…

The screen begins to fade to black, yet her voice carries over, guiding the audience into the rest of the episode. 

**Casca** , monologue carrying over: ...I kind of hope there is. 

We are met with THE TITLE CARD, and following it:

EPISODE 1

Scene 2:  
CUT IN, CASCA’S ROOM, MORNING, 18 MONTHS LATER

The montage of shifting between Casca in the auditorium during her speech and debate presentation and Casca waking up in the present day culminates here:  
We now follow Casca as she grabs a school uniform off her desk and runs into a nearby bathroom, sunlight spilling in from a small square window adjacent to the shower.

She reaches down, still in her pajamas (a white tank top and a pair of basketball shorts), and turns on the shower. Hot water follows, then steam, rising into the ceiling and covering the light. 

Casca does not get in, however. She first puts her middle and index fingers up to the dark circles under her eyes, looking into the mirror. She stares at her reflection for a moment, before reaching over to a lightswitch and flipping it on. She makes the same motion, again looking at the circles, proof of her fatigue and exhaustion. Casca briefly fondles with a necklace hanging around her neck, a golden key. 

She sighs, looking considerably pissed off. 

**Casca** : Shit. 

The shower continues to run in the background. 

CUT, FIVE MINUTES LATER

We now see Casca stepping out of the shower, drying her hair with a white towel, aggressively rubbing her scalp, if only for a moment, before throwing it back into the bathroom, steam coming out and following her. 

The camera follows her as she takes a sharp right immediately out of the shower. As she exits the hallway and enters into a kitchen/living space, we see she is in a small apartment; to the left, a picture of Kal is briefly seen. 

In the kitchen, Casca’s mother, JEANNE, a nurse, butters a piece of toast. 

Casca, talking without even slowing down her walking pace: Is dad up? 

Jeanne dismisses this concern. 

**Jeanne** : You’ll be late. 

Three words, stated as a fact, not an opinion or a guess. 

**Casca** : Thanks. 

Casca’s dismissive, annoyed tone matches her mothers concerned and equally annoyed words. The two keep walking. 

Casca grabs a piece of buttered toast off her mother’s plate with her left hand and takes her backpack off a wooden coat rack with the right. She sticks the toast in her mouth, back now to the camera, and opens the door, throwing her arms through the straps of her backpack. 

ENTER, APARTMENT COMPLEX HALLWAY 

Walking out into the hallway at the same time as her friend and neighbor in the complex, KAI (16), Casca matches pace with him. 

**Kai** : You look terrible. 

Casca says nothing, she just keeps walking, yet making sure to walk slow enough he can keep pace. 

**Kai** : You alright? 

He places a hand on her shoulder as he asks. She shrugs it right off. 

**Casca** : I’m fine, let’s go. We’re gonna be late. 

Her words are harsh, yet he doesn’t care. The two begin to descend down the stairs of the building. Casca is clearly on-edge and not wanting to talk; Kai doesn’t care. 

**Kai** : You know, you should really get some kind of sleeping medicine, like Ambien or Halcion. 

**Casca** : Sleeping itself isn’t the problem. 

**Kai** : Yeah, I know, it’s the lack thereof, whatever. Hey, does Peggy know you’re an insomniac?

**Casca** : I really don’t want to talk about this. 

This time, he gets the message. 

**Kai** : Okay, yeah, something else. 

He pauses for a bit to collect his thoughts, by this point, they’ve reached ground level and are on the streets, walking to school. 

**Kai** : Hey, remember that exchange student I was telling you about?

**Casca** : Yeah, what was his name? Ren?

**Kai** : Rin, and yeah, his flight’s going to be shorter than we thought, so he’ll arrive when we’re at school today, not tomorrow. 

Casca lets out a hearty yawn, covering it with her hand. 

**Casca** , clearly uninterested/distracted: Cool, that should be fun. 

**Kai** : You should come over tomorrow night, maybe meet the guy, I’m sure it’d be a lot of fun. We could have a game night with my family, like we used to. 

By this point, Casca is beginning to walk slightly faster than Kai, and she’s slightly ahead of him on the curb. She looks back, rubbing the sleep out of her eye. 

**Casca** : I have an appointment tonight. 

**Kai** : Like a docto--*sudden realization*--oh, yeah, gotcha. Well, maybe tomorrow? 

Casca nods, but is clearly unsure. 

**Casca** : Yeah, maybe. 

Scene 3:  
ENTER, THE INTERIOR OF AN AIRPLANE

A sudden jolt hits the inside of the airplane, and RIN (16) shakes awake. His eyes jolt open, and immediately close again in exhaustion. 

He was asleep on the plane, strands of black hair covering his left eye. A sleeping pillow is against the back of his head. He runs a hand through his hair, getting the hair off his left eye and begins to look around. 

The camera begins to go backwards, then turn to the left and move up, following each of the passengers on the plane, all anxious to get out of the aircraft. 

We cut back to Rin, as he opens up the window, a bright light pouring out. He gazes out into the sunrise before him, almost in awe of the country he’s entering. 

ENTER, BAGGAGE CLAIM

Rin is now collecting his suitcase, picking it up from a conveyor belt, a blue backpack on his back. He looks out and starts following the crowd, enticed by the noises of the language while walking…

...only to get distracted and bump right into a passerby. 

**Rin** , in Japanese: Damn, sorry

He pauses for a second, then remembers the country he’s in. 

**Rin** , in English: I’m so sorry, I---

He looks down at the passerby, a small girl with curly black hair and a green dress, holding a sign that says “RIN SAITO” in both English and Japanese. This girl is FAITHE (8), Kai’s younger sister. 

**Rin** , realization dawning: Wait…

He looks past the girl and at the family behind her: mother BELLA (40s), oldest daughter LIA (19), and younger brother THEODORE “THEO” (12). This is Kai’s family: the DRESDEN FAMILY. And now, it’s Rin’s host family. 

**Bella** : HI!

**Rin** : Are you guys…

**Bella** : We’re your host family! 

She reaches over and gives Rin a big hug, motherly and affectionate. 

**Bella** : C’mon, Lia, help him out with that. 

Lia wordlessley reaches over and takes the handle from Rin’s hand and begins pulling it behind her; the entire family is now walking forwards, in the direction of the doors outside. 

**Rin** , pointing to Lia: Alright, to wanna make sure I have everyone right: you’re Lia. 

**Rin** , pointing to Faithe: And you are…?

**Faithe** : I’m Faithe! And that’s Theo! 

Next to her, Rin can be seeing mouthing the word “Theo”, trying to follow along with the pronunciation. 

**Faithe** , deadpan: Your English is kind of weird. 

**Bella** : Faithe! That’s rude! Remember, we talked about this, English isn’t his first language, so it’s going to sound a bit different. 

**Bella** , at Rin, quieter and apologetic: I’m so sorry. 

**Rin** , chuckling: It’s quite alright. 

Faithe herself is giggling a bit at the whole situation. 

**Faithe** , continuing: And that’s Mom!

By this point, the family is outside, with Bella leading in the charge. She chuckles a bit at her daughter. 

**Bella** : It’s okay, I’m not expecting you to call me “mom”, or anything like that. Just call me Bella. Or Bell! Whichever you prefer. 

Rin nods in agreement. He turns back to Faithe. 

**Rin** : Did you draw that poster?

She nods in agreement, and he smiles down at her. 

**Rin** , sincerely: Thank you, Faithe, that’s very sweet, and you did a very good job. 

She beams at him, jumping at him and giving him a hug. He noticeably stiffens, startled by the gesture. 

By this point, they’re behind the family’s vehicle, a silver minivan, and the trunk pops open on its own, with Lia placing the suitcase in the back. 

**Theo** : I can take that. 

He grabs Rin’s backpack right off his shoulders, with Rin realizing and wiggling his arms out to help. 

A man in his 40s wearing a solid green T-shirt and cargo shorts emerges from the driver’s seat. This is TOBIAS “TOBI” DRESDEN, Kai’s father and Bella’s husband. 

**Tobi** : Hey! It’s great to meet you!

He reaches out a hand to Rin. Rin reaches out to meet him and shake, bowing slightly and not making too much eye contact, only for Tobi to pull him into a hug. 

**Tobi** : Ay, bring it in!

Rin is a bit surprised, and he noticeably stiffens at the motion, eyes widening slightly, just like with Faithe. Rin never was a touchy-feely kind of guy…

**Rin** , in Japanese: So, this is just a family of huggers. 

Tobi guides him up to the front of the car, for Rin to sit in the shotgun seat, but Rin turns around and counts quickly, mouthing the words “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, and “5”, before stopping. 

**Rin** , confused: Isn’t...isn’t there another?

**Bella** : Oh, Kai! He had an important project for school, so he couldn’t miss today. But you’ll see him in a few hours! I’m sure you two will get along great. 

Rin nods in agreement, though seeming slightly unsure, and hops into the shotgun seat. Speaking of Kai...

ENTER, THE HIGH SCHOOL

Kai is in history class, staring out the window, head in the clouds, an empty seat at the desk next to him. The teacher, a short, thin woman with coke bottle glasses and straight brown hair in a ponytail, is doing roll call. 

**History Teacher** : Kai Dresden? 

****Kai** , nonchalantly, without looking away from the window: Here. **

****

Satisfied, the teacher marks down a check on her clipboard. 

****

Kai and his classmates are on a room on the second floor. Staring out the window, there’s a square-shaped courtyard in the middle of the building. He notices a familiar girl…

****

We cut to Casca in her Digital Photography class, also in the middle of roll call. 

****

**Casca** : Here. 

****

The framing of these shots is parallel: the angling is relatively the same, but reversed, with Kai to the right of his shot’s center and looking out the window, and Casca to the left of her shot’s center and looking out her window. 

****

The camera angling changes. She looks out the window, and makes eye contact with Kai. She can barely make him out, but she notices him wave. She gives a small wave back. 

****

**Mr. Mathus** : Alright class--

****

Casca’s attention snaps back top her teacher, a tall man, about 5’11 or 6’, with a beard and a brown sweater over a button-down white shirt. 

****

**Mathus** : --as you all should be aware of by now, we are grading our current projects tomorrow, so I expect them to be done tonight and submitted by the morning. Just put them in the homework folder as always. For anyone who’s been slacking off, the themes are transparency, mirrors and reflections, as you may or may not recall. 

****

Casca mumbles a curse under her breath, and reaches into her backpack, which, as opposed to being on the floor, is in the seat of an empty desk to her right. She pulls out a small planner, with a pink sharpie tucked into the binding coils. 

****

As Mr. Mathus continues talking in the background, she flips to the current date: April 16th. She makes a quick note to herself to finish that assignment, and turns back to the window, attention brought back to Kai, her teacher’s talking beginning to fade into nothingness. Fading into…

****

INSIDE MARGARET’S OFFICE, DAYTIME, A FEW HOURS LATER

****

The transition from Casca in Mr. Mathus’ office to being in the therapist’s office is abrupt. She goes from being in an open room in the middle of the afternoon, surrounded by other students, to being in the somewhat cramped area with only another woman across from her. This woman is MARGARET “PEGGY” MOUREY (late 50s-early 60s), Casca’s therapist. 

****

**Pyrrha** : It was the same dream. The same damn dream. Every detail. Hell, the power was acting weird and everything. 

****

Peggy is a tall woman, more so than most of the other adults seen so far. Her hair still retains most of its color, though occasional strands of gray that could be mistaken for platinum blonde are interlaced with her brown locks. She looks focused, attentive to what Casca is saying, a caring look in her gaze. She has a pair of thin, rectangular glasses on a chain, almost a stereotypical school teacher look if ever there was one. 

****

**Peggy** : Absolutely nothing different?

****

**Pyrrha** : Nothing. I’ve even had this before, but usually there’s some difference. This one was weird. It didn’t bring me up to the---

****

She trails off. It’s too painful to even speak of. 

****

**Casca** : ---Well, you know what. It was just that damn presentation. There were no changes to my presentation either. Usually there’s something different, some kind of “What If” that brings me up to the...to the car ride itself. 

****

Peggy and Casca are clearly knowledgeable of the others emotions and, in Peggy’s case, speech patterns. She knows that Casca’s swearing isn’t just some neutered version of lashing out at the world around her, she’s genuinely upset (and, more importantly, confused) by this dream. 

****

**Peggy** : Casca. I’m worried about what this means. I thought you weren’t having these kinds of dreams before. 

****

**Casca** : I wasn’t! Not before today!

****

Casca is a very visual talker. She’s using her hands and palms as she speaks, trying to convey the intensity of her confusion in a way that words can’t quite do. 

****

**Casca** : Or, rather, before yesterday. *She pauses for a second* No, actually, I suppose it was today. 

****

**Peggy** : How’s your sleep? It’s been a while since our last session. Wasn’t that something you were struggling with?

****

Peggy asks the questions, yet she already knows the answer to both. 

****

**Casca** : Uh, it’s...fine, I guess. Haven’t been sleeping too much. Kai’s asking me about that, too. 

****

Peggy already knows who Kai is; over the last year of counseling, Casca’s told her almost everything about everything in her life. 

****

**Peggy** , unconvinced: Are the dreams connected to your sleep? Or do you tend to have trouble falling asleep, even without these...nightmares? *She pauses for a second, pensive, and brings the pen in her hand up to her chin in thought* Are nightmares the correct word?

****

**Casca** , equally puzzled: I have no idea. I don’t think so. I’ve had nightmares about...that night, before, and none like this. 

****

Casca starts to lean forward, making more direct eye contact with Peggy. Up until this point, she was primarily looking to the side or to her own feet. It’s as if Casca is shifting gears, ready to give a lecture. 

****

**Casca** : You know how, a lot of times, when it’s totally dark but you’re doing something--anything, really--your eyes gradually adjust to the dark? And you don’t even realize how dark it is until someone turns a light on?

****

Her words are much faster, her sentences more run-on in nature. It's just like when she was giving her speech: she’s starting to get really passionate, really heated about the topic. 

****

**Peggy** , nodding in agreement: Right, I follow. 

****

**Casca** : Well, that’s how dreams are. Not just for me, not just for this topic, but all dreams. Have you seen Inception?

****

**Peggy** : What’s that?

****

Casca dismisses Peggy’s question with a wave of her hand. 

****

**Casca** : Actually, it doesn’t matter all that much. The point I’m trying to make is that dreams feel fine when you’re in them, but once you wake up, you realize how strange they are--how strange they were. 

****

Casca falls back in her chair a bit, her rant over. 

****

**Casca** : But this--this wasn’t like that. I know other people do, but I don’t often dream of things that usually happened. This was a first. 

****

**Peggy** : But, not the reason for your sleep problems. Right?

****

Casca winces a bit, rubbing her arm awkwardly, as if the question causes her physical pain. 

****

**Casca** : I mean...no, not really. 

****

Peggy leans forward. She doesn’t say anything, doesn’t ask any questions, but her body language is enough. 

****

**Casca** : I’ve just been thinking. About Kal, I mean. And, well, about Kai too, I guess. 

****

Here, we can see Casca open up and show her vulnerable side, more so than even with friends and family. 

****

**Peggy** : What about Kai? Are you worried about him? 

****

**Casca** : Well, no, not quite. I...I’m worried about us? I guess? There’s that exchange student I was telling you about---

****

Peggy looks down at her scribbled handwriting, having clearly written down this information before but unable to decipher it. 

****

**Peggy** : --what was it again? Rin. 

****

**Casca** : Yeah, that’s it. Anyways, today, Kai told me this guy was arriving a day early and he wanted me to come over and meet him. *Casca vaguely, broadly gestures to the office and Peggy* Obviously, I couldn’t do that, as I’m here, but…

****

**Peggy** , catching on and nodding in agreement, head tilted slightly to the side as she talks: ...but you didn’t want to anyways, right?

****

**Casca** : Right. The idea of sharing Kai...I don’t know for sure, but I think that’s the reason why I feel so uncomfortable. I feel like my support net is so limited already, having this other guy here might make things awkward. 

****

**Peggy** , optimistically: Maybe someone else will come along. Someone else for you to spend time with. 

****

**Casca** , giving a short, dry chuckle at the idea: Yeah, maybe. 

****

On that note, the scene begins to fade into...

****

Scene 4:  
ENTER, THE COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, DAY

****

PYRRHA COSTAS (17) stepping out from the shotgun seat of her father’s car. She’s tall, probably about 5’11 and with red hair coming down to her mid-back. Wrapped around her neck is a NECKLACE, gifted to her by her late mother; a single small, blue gem contained in folds of silver, all bound together by a gold chain. On her wrist is a red FITBIT, gifted to her by her father. 

****

The framing of her in the car is identical to that of Rin going into the Dresden family car, just with Pyrrha coming out instead of going in. 

****

**Pyrrha** : Wow…

****

The house is quite gorgeous, expansive, and exquisite, a one-story building with copious amounts of glass windows overlooking a beach of crystal clear water. 

****

**Silas** : It’s pretty great alright. 

****

Pyrrha’s expression fades from rejoice and awe into sadness, her head going down slightly. 

****

**Pyrrha** : God, I wish mom was here to see this. 

****

By this point, Silas is walking around the front of the car to his daughter. He wraps an arm around her shoulder and starts walking forward. 

****

**Silas** : It’s alright, my love. Doris would’ve wanted you here. 

****

CUT, INSIDE THE HOUSE, DAY

****

The camera changes, shifting to being inside the house and focused on the front door. The door moves open slightly, revealing Pyrrha and Silas behind it, the former of whom walks in first. 

****

She is ENTRANCED and AWE-STRUCK, her mouth slightly agape as she observes the house’s interior, extraordinary design and fine details: the furniture, the marble floor, the paintings.  
She starts to walk forward, slowly, turning 180 degrees to get the full view of everything. As she walks, a hand over her mouth, slightly giggling with joy, the sound of her shoes *clacking* against the marble floor becomes audible. 

****

**Pyrrha** : Oh my god…

****

CUT, GOING INTO SILAS’ ROOM, DAY

****

The camera is behind Silas and Pyrrha, father slightly ahead of daughter, as he leans over and opens the door, revealing his bedroom: a largely bare room with a single Queen-sized bed with gray-and-white striped sheets discarded haphazardly to the floor, and some papers spread across a nearby dresser. Next to those papers, a laptop and a charger. 

****

**Silas** : If you can’t find me and I’m not in my office, I’ll probably be in here. And this…

****

CUT, INSIDE PYRRHA’S ROOM, DAY

****

It’s the same shot and angling used when entering the house: with the camera already in the room and looking out at the door, already slightly ajar, which opens with a slight creak. Pyrrha’s hand goes over her mouth as she looks at everything, taking it all in. 

****

**Silas** , voice carrying over from the last shot: ...is your room. 

****

He’s surely gone to great lengths to make it feel comfortable and cozy yet new: it looks hardly lived in, with a bed and sheets that have likely never been slept in, yet Pyrrha’s stuff surrounds the floor and walls. Drawings, kits from her childhood, toys she hasn’t so much as looked at in over a decade, everything. 

****

**Pyrrha** : Father...thank you. 

****

**Silas** : Oh, it’s no problem, I was just digging up some old stuff and…

****

He trails off. Pyrrha looks back behind her shoulder and finds him holding a picture. 

****

**Pyrrha** : Father, what is it?

****

She approaches him and looks over his shoulder and finds a FAMILY PORTRAIT: Pyrrha must only be 11 or 12 years old in the photo, and on either side of her are her parents, Silas and DORIS COSTAS (late 30s-early 40s), a beautiful woman with the same red hair as Pyrrha. 

****

**Pyrrha** : Oh…

****

**Silas** : I’m sorry, sweetheart, I forgot I got this out. It’s probably just making things worse…

****

**Pyrrha** : No, no, it’s fine. 

****

Slowly, she takes the picture from her father’s grasp, which he allows. She starts to sit on the edge of her bed, still holding it, as if looking away will erase her mother from history forever. Silas sits on the edge of the bed to comfort his daughter. 

****

**Silas** : I know you miss her, sweetheart. I do too. 

****

He pulls his daughter into a hug. He’s a few inches taller than her, even sitting down on her bed, so her hair comes up to his face a bit. 

****

**Pyrrha** : Ew, father, no, please. I haven’t showered in almost two days. 

****

She quickly stands up, still holding the picture. 

****

**Silas** : Next to my bedroom, there’s a shower. You can use that, then we can head out for some dinner. Ok?

****

He flashes a gentle, warm smile at her. She nods in agreement. 

****

**Pyrrha** : Okay, that sounds good, let’s do that. 

****

She puts the picture on the top of the dresser, at a bit of an angle, just enough that the viewer can still make out the photo. Next, she moves her hair back to give herself access to the nape of her neck. Reaching behind, she unlocks/unhooks her necklace and sets it on the top of the same dresser. 

****

The camera lingers on these two objects for a moment, slightly zooming in as the sound of departing footsteps echo and fade. We transition into…

****

Scene 5:  
CUT, CASCA’S BEDROOM, NIGHT

****

On her bedside table, Pyrrha has AN IDENTICAL NECKLACE and a picture of Kal, the very picture she was looking at in Scene 1, close together, at the same angle and distance. The framing is IDENTICAL. 

****

Then, a flash of light comes out of nowhere. 

****

**Casca** : Dammit!

****

The angle starts to move to the left, and we see she is working on her photography assignment. She is sitting about 2-3 feet from her window, and propped up against her bed is a mirror, about 5-6 feet tall. 

****

The source of the light reveals itself: Casca left the flash on. She flips a red DIGITAL CAMERA in her hand to the side and fiddles with it. 

****

**Casca** : How do I--oh, got it!

****

Propping the camera up against her leg, she sets a timer on it and gets into position: she is trying to take a photo of her own reflection in the mirror, and by extension, the window behind her reflection. 

****

A small, satisfying click is heard. With a tiny grin, barely visible in the dead of night, she pulls out her camera and starts examining the photo. 

****

**Casca** : Hey, that’s pretty good!

****

She looks out at her alarm clock, a small, black rectangle currently flashing 1:32 in red numbers. Her smile fades quickly. 

****

**Casca** : Oh...drats. 

****

She gets up, moving the mirror against her wall and placing the camera on her bedside table next to the identical necklace and the picture of Kal. She looks down at her bed, as if considering finally getting some sleep…

****

SMASH CUT, THE APARTMENT BALCONY, NIGHT

****

...but instead, we see Casca slowly closing the balcony door, making sure not to let it creak and wake up her parents. Trying to get some fresh air, she leaves the door once she hears the small click/snap of it going into place. 

****

She pulls a smartphone out of her pocket and examines the time, now reading 1:34. 

****

**Casca** : Just 5 minutes, then I’ll get some sleep. 

****

She walks out to the edge, looking out over the city skyline. It’s a beautiful sight, a canvas of buildings and a stream of lights. The camera is initially behind her, Casca’s back in the foreground and the city in the background. 

****

Then, the perspective switches and we see her face, the lights reflecting back at her. She seems entranced by the sight, which transitions into...

****

SMASH CUT, RIN AND KAI’S ROOM, THE DRESDEN APARTMENT, NIGHT

****

RIN’S FACE. The angling is exactly the same, but rather than being illuminated by outside lights, his face is covered in shadow. 

****

The camera zooms out. He’s sitting up in his bed, which is really just a mattress on the ground. Next to the actual bed is Kai, sound asleep on his side, facing away from Rin. Rin sighs. He checks his phone. 1:37. 

****

**Rin** , in Japanese: Fucking jetlag. 

****

He looks over at his suitcase, open and half-empty, a pile of clothes (including a school uniform) laid out for the next day. He looks dead tired, but it doesn’t seem to matter in the face of a nearly 14-hour time zone difference. Swearing, he reaches into his suitcase and pulls out a gray robe, throwing it on as he rises from the bed and opens the door to the room. 

****

Creeping around on his tip-toes, making sure not to wake anyone, he makes his way to the kitchen. He reaches into a cupboard and grabs a glass cup, filling it halfway with water from the sink. He takes a sip and starts to walk to the balcony of the Dresden apartment. He opens it…

****

Only to turn to his left and find Casca staring at him on the adjacent balcony. 

****

The sudden sight startles Rin, nearly causing him to jump out of his skin. He almost chokes on the water going down his throat, too. He wipes his mouth with the sleeve of his robe and speaks. 

****

**Rin** , in Japanese: Shit, you scared me!

****

Once again, he remembers what country he’s in. 

****

**Rin** , nervous and slightly stuttering, but in English: Wait, sorry, I meant: sorry to bother you. 

****

**Casca** , nonchalantly, while cracking her knuckle with one finger: You say sorry too much. 

****

**Rin** : Huh?

****

**Casca** : You said sorry twice in that sentence. Just pointing it out. 

****

She continues looking forward, as if her criticism of his repetition was the only thing she was interested in saying to him. But honestly, it probably was. 

****

**Casca** : That wasn’t an apology, was it. 

****

**Rin** : What? What wasn’t?

****

**Casca** : Just a second ago, you said in English “sorry to bother you”, but considering how frightened you seemed when you saw me standing here and staring at absolutely nothing, I doubt that’s what you said. 

****

Rin pauses for a moment, initially unsure of how to react to such a straightforward observation. 

****

**Rin** : You’re right. My exact words were “Shit, you scared me”. 

****

Casca shrugs. 

****

**Casca** : Yeah, that’s about what I figured. 

****

Silence falls between them.  
The camera angle now shifts, firmly in place between the two balconies, splitting the view in half: on the left is Casca, and on the right is Rin, both looking out at the city. 

****

**Rin** : I just got here. 

****

**Casca** : I figured. 

****

**Rin** : To America, I mean. 

****

**Casca** : I still figured. That accent isn’t going away anytime soon. 

****

He looks down a bit, slightly embarrassed by the second person to point out his accent in less than 12 hours. She looks over at him. 

****

**Casca** : Sorry, that sounded rude. Your accent isn’t a bad thing, it’s just...well, it’s noticeable. 

****

She pinches her eyes in frustration. 

****

**Casca** , apologetically: Wow, that really didn’t sound much better, now did it?

****

**Rin** , chuckling: Yeah, you could’ve done a better job. 

****

Casca laughs at this. This is the first time in god-knows-how-long she’s allowing herself to open up to a total stranger. 

****

**Rin** : My name’s Rin. Saito Rin. I’m here for the school year as a foreign exchange student from Japan. 

****

**Casca** : I figured. Hope you like it here with the Dresdens, Rin. 

****

She pulls out her phone again, checking the time. 1:40. 

****

**Casca** : Well, I have school in the morning. I’m heading back in. Good night, Rin. 

****

**Rin** : Good night…

****

He pauses, realizing he never got her name, but she’s already closed the balcony door and gone back inside. 

****

Scene 6:  
ENTER, THE LIVING ROOM, COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, NIGHT

****

Silas is dead asleep on the couch, the TV totally static. The camera has a slow pan, showing him unconscious, a slight snore escaping his lips, then the TV, which flickers in and out of static for a few moments to show some kind of reality show. It then begins to stabilize, landing firmly on static once more before the scene changes. 

****

ENTER, PYRRHA’S ROOM, COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, NIGHT

****

Pyrrha is sound asleep in her own bed, the door to her bedroom slightly ajar. The static can be faintly heard. 

****

A single image flashes by the screen, if only for a moment: some kind of house on the coast, a one-story building painted yellow. Underneath it, white sand practically shines by the sun. Faintly, the laughter of a child is heard, drowned out by the waves. 

****

The camera begins to zoom in on her face, revealing strands of fiery red hair covering the right side of her face. Until...

****

**Voice** : Pyrrha

****

The voice is raspy and tired, almost inhuman. The first time, it’s barely a whisper. The second time…

****

**Voice** , louder and with more force: PYRRHA

****

This time, Pyrrha’s eyes jolt open. For a split-second, no more than half a second, the camera lingers on her eyes…

****

Then she JOLTS UP in her bed, breathing quick and heavy, holding the covers, clearly shaken and scared. She looks to her right and sees, on her dresser, the photo of her mother, standing in front of the same house. 

****

**Pyrrha** : Father?

****

Nothing. Only the sound of a floorboard creaking. 

****

**Pyrrha** : D...dad!? 

****

She begins to get up from her bed, feet slipping into a pair of sky blue sandals to the right of the foot of the bed. Supporting herself on the door frame, she peers out and looks up and down the hallway leading to her room. 

****

**Pyrrha** , noticeably quieter: Father?

****

She walks over to the living room, but just as she is about to approach her father and the static TV…

****

IT CHANGES. The channel flips right back to normal, and she is left confused and dazed. She takes a single step forward, and the floor creaks loudly. Her father starts to wake up as well. 

****

**Silas** : P...Pyrrha? What’s going on?

****

**Pyrrha** , rubbing sleep out of her eyes: I don’t know. I thought I heard something. But *gesturing to the TV* it must’ve just been your show. 

****

**Silas** : Huh, strange. I don’t remember watching this before I fell asleep. 

****

Pyrrha rolls her eyes a bit, before looking over at a nearby clock on the wall. 

****

**Pyrrha** : Alright, it’s about 1:30. We both need rest. Don’t you have to go to work tomorrow?

****

**Silas** , bringing himself to his feet: Yes, yes, you’re right. Sorry to wake you, sweetheart. 

****

**Pyrrha** , turning around and walking back to her room: No, it’s fine. Goodnight, father. 

****

She walks out of the shot, leaving her father on the couch, somewhat disoriented. Letting out a yawn, he begins walking towards his own bedroom. On the way over, he hits the power button on the lower left corner of the TV, and with a small *click* it shuts down. 

****

Scene 7:  
CASCA’S ROOM, MORNING

****

The entire scene is shot as a recreation of Scene 2. Casca wakes up to the sound of her alarm clock going off and, after letting it go for a few moments, practically shoots out of her bed to slam the button on it, shutting it off. She sits for a few moments, lets out an exhausted, defeated sigh, and gets out of bed. 

****

THE BATHROOM IN CASCA’S APARTMENT, MORNING 

****

Once again, Casca is looking at her reflection in the mirror, analyzing the dark bags under her eyes. Hot water pours out from the shower, covering the room in steam. 

****

**Casca** : Shit. 

****

THE APARTMENT LIVING ROOM

****

Once again, we see Casca rapidly drying her hair and throwing the towel back into the bathroom. She grabs a piece of toast from her mother’s plate, a backpack from her coat rack, and is about to head out. However

****

**Lorenzo** : Casca?

****

She flips around on her heels and comes face to face with her father, LORENZO (40s), a tall-middle aged man with unkempt black hair much like Casca’s own. 

****

**Casca** : Oh, hey, dad. I didn’t realize you were up. 

****

He cuts right to the chase. 

****

**Lorenzo** : You haven’t been sleeping very well lately, have you?

****

**Casca** , without missing a beat: Nope, not really. I didn’t fall asleep until midnight last night. 

****

Lorenzo doesn’t seem angry or disappointed, just worried. He puts a hand on her shoulder. 

****

**Lorenzo** : Casca, I heard the balcony door open at 1:30 in the morning last night. 

****

Oops. Caught red-handed. 

****

**Casca** : I’m fine. I was just working on a photography assignment and I lost track of time. 

****

Casca even reaches into her pocket and pulls out the digital camera as proof of her endeavor. Lorenzo clearly believes her, but his anxiety is unshaken. 

****

**Lorenzo** : Your mother and I are worried about you. Does your therapist know about this?

****

Casca noticeably winces at the word “therapist”, but brushes past it. 

****

Casca: Jesus, first Kai, now you. Can everyone just leave this alone? I’m fine, and I’m still doing good in school. 

****

**Lorenzo** : Hey, language. Also, I’m your father! I’m allowed to be worried about you. As I should be. We know it’s been tough for you since...but, well, we're worried that things are worsening.

****

**Casca** : Dad, please, I’m gonna be late for school. 

****

**Lorenzo** : Ok, sorry, but let’s talk about this lat--

****

Casca’s already out the door. 

****

APARTMENT BUILDING HALLWAY, MORNING

****

Once again, Casca finds Kai and immediately matches pace with her friend. But this time, Rin’s with them too. 

****

**Kai** : Hey! You didn’t show up last night, but this is Rin Saito. 

****

Kai furrows his brow and turns to Rin, confused for a moment. 

****

**Casca** : Or is it Saito Rin? I don’t know which is grammatically correct. 

****

But Rin doesn’t seem to be paying attention, his pace almost immediately slowing once he sees Casca. 

****

**Kai** : Oh, wait...do you two know each other?

****

**Rin** : Yes! **Casca** , simultaneously: Nope. 

****

The two teenagers look at each other. Kai shoots Rin a confused glance, then shoots one at Casca too. 

****

**Kai** : Wait, what?

****

**Rin** : I mean, no. **Casca** , simultaneously: Well, kinda. 

****

Casca facepalms. 

****

**Casca** : I couldn’t sleep again last night--don’t even get me started Dresden--and I went out to my balcony and he did the same thing. But no, I don’t really know him. 

****

**Rin** : Wait, so you’re Casca Novell? It’s great to meet you! Kai was telling me about you last night, I didn’t realize you were the girl I talked to. 

****

**Casca** , dryly: In the flesh. 

****

Rin reaches out a hand to Casca, bowing slightly. Casca initially seems to be confused by the gesture, but gives him a single, weak, reluctant shake. 

****

**Kai** : C’mon, we’re gonna be late!

****

CUT, KAI’S HISTORY CLASSROOM

****

The entire scene is a recreation of the second half of Scene 3: Kai is seen in a desk, staring out the window. 

****

**Teacher** : Kai Dresden?

****

**Kai** : Here. 

****

Once again, the teacher makes a small check next to Kai’s name. The framing is identical to last time, with Kai on the right of the shot. He looks out the window and makes eye contact with Casca. She gives him a small wave across the school courtyard, same as yesterday. 

****

**Teacher** : And class, we have a new student joining us. 

****

Kai’s attention suddenly snaps back to the front of the room, with Rin standing next to the teacher, an entire head-and-a-half taller than her and already smiling at Kai. 

****

**Teacher** : Everybody, this is Rin…*squints at attendance list*...Saito? And he is here from Japan as a foreign exchange student. Rin, you can take a seat next to Mr. Dresden over there. 

****

Rin walks over and puts his bag on the floor, him and Kai smiling at each other. 

****

**Kai** : Hey, this should be fun!

****

CUT, INSIDE OF MR. MATHUS’ DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS

****

The framing inverts, transitioning from Kai on the right side of the shot to Casca on the left side of her own shot. Once again, Casca’s focus is called to the front of the room. 

****

**Mr. Mathus** : And class, in addition to your projects being due today, we have a special announcement. A new student who just landed in the states yesterday is joining us all the way from Greece. Class, please welcome Pyrrha Costas. 

****

Casca looks to the front door of the room, slightly ajar, which opens to reveal PYRRHA in her school uniform. 

****

Mathus, pointing to Casca: And Pyrrha, you can just take the empty seat next to Casca over there. 

****

Quickly, Casca looks over to Pyrrha, then to the empty seat adjacent to her and pulls her backpack off of it. 

****

Pyrrha takes a seat next to Casca, a beaming smile on her face. 

****

**Pyrrha** , in a rather friendly, open tone: Hello, it’s good to meet you. 

****

**Casca** , noticeably more friendly and welcoming than usual: Likewise. 

****

**Mathus** : Alright class…

****

Casca and Pyrrha both look away from each other and up at their teacher, who is holding the attendance roster clipboard and showing it to the class. 

****

**Pyrrha** : ...as most of you know, we’re going over the reflection photography projects today. Pyrrha, you’re exempt from this, but your father told me you have your own personal camera, so you’re still expected to participate in future projects this semester. 

****

Pyrrha nods in agreement, giving a small thumbs-up. Mathus continues. 

****

**Mathus** : I’m going to be working my way around the classroom, starting with Casca. 

****

Casca reaches down and pulls her camera out of her pocket, turning it on and watching it come to life with a small hum. 

****

**Casca** , to Pyrrha: So, what brings you here?

****

Pyrrha hesitates for a second, an expression like a deer in headlights, before answering somewhat reluctantly. 

****

**Pyrrha** : Family matters. 

****

Casca, sensing the sensitive nature of the topic, appropriately drops it. 

****

**Mathus** , walking over behind Casca’s desk: Alrighty, lets see what you have. 

****

**Casca** , opening up her backpack and fishing her laptop out: Sorry, sir, I don’t have this on my computer yet, but I just got the photos done last night. Here, take a look. 

****

As she turns on her laptop, Mathus starts looking through the camera, immediately going to the latest photo, the one Casca took in Scene 5. He noticeably squints at the photo, trying to get a better look and make out the fine details. 

****

**Mathus** : Oh, I like this one!

****

As he says this, Casca reaches into a side-pocket on her backpack and pulls out a cord, connecting it into a port on the side of her laptop and holding out her hand for Mathus to give her the camera back. 

****

**Casca** : Mr. Mathus, could I have that back?

****

**Mathus** : Yes, of course, absolutely. 

****

Casca plugs it in, and the picture starts to load on her computer. As it loads, Mr. Mathus leans up against a nearby wall and continues chatting. 

****

**Mr. Mathus** : That was a really cool visual effect you achieved with the window. Do you think that you could help Pyrrha out doing something like that? 

****

Casca looks to Pyrrha for affirmation. Pyrrha shrugs a bit. 

****

**Pyrrha** , almost apologetically: I-if you don’t mind, of course! I don’t want to be a burden!

****

**Casca** , confused: Well, sure, I guess, but it’s not that difficult. Just...mirrors and reflections, I guess. *Turning back to Mathus* Just like you said we should do. 

****

**Mathus** : No, no, not that, the other thing!

****

Casca looks puzzled. The photo loads up completely on her computer. 

****

**Mathus** : The lighting can definitely be improved, but it has some great potential…

****

He starts to trail off as he works, leaning over and opening up the photo through Photoshop. Working quickly, he brings up the brightness on her laptop from 50% to 100% and starts racking up the brightness through photoshop, even zooming in. 

****

In the picture itself, nothing has actually changed: we have Casca sitting on the ground with her legs crossed and this takes up the foreground of the shot, while the mid/background consists of her reflection in the window. 

****

But something’s off. Because Casca had her back to the window, the window should have been reflecting on her back. Instead, the window was reflecting her...front? So Casca’s face is seen twice across the two layers of the shot. And the second “Casca” looks a bit...off. The lighting is intentionally dark, so it’s hard to be clear, but her hair almost looks...longer. 

****

**Mathus** : I don’t recall anybody else in my classes doing something like that. That’s pretty neat. Was there just some other mirror we couldn’t see making a second reflection? 

****

**Casca** : Uh...yeah. Yeah, something like that. 

****

She looks at the original photo. Not the one on her laptop, zoomed in and with the brightness increased, but the picture on her camera. Squinting, she can now see it, even on the original image; whatever it was, she didn’t notice it while taking the picture, but Mr. Mathus did just a second ago. 

****

**Casca** : What the...hell?

****

The camera lingers somewhat on the watermark, 1:32. 

****

Scene 8:  
THE SCHOOL CAFETERIA, AFTERNOON

****

Rin is walking around, looking unsure of his placement amidst the sea of students. He is holding a tray of food, the voices and conversations of other teenagers around him beginning to “audibly blur” and become unfocused and scrambled. Until…

****

He sees a mostly empty table, with Casca and Kai in it, sitting close to one-another, both looking at the red camera in her hand. 

****

**Kai** : I don’t get it. How can you not know?

****

**Casca** : I don’t know! I don’t know what I don’t know!

****

**Kai** : Were you just exhausted and forgot? I'm like that all the time when I'm tired

****

**Casca** : Nope. I mean, it was a simple set-up, we were just supposed to use a mirror so I put myself between it and the window. My memory isn’t that bad. Besides, if I could remember something like talking with Rin last night, I don’t know how I would forget stuff about this project. 

****

Speak of the devil…

****

**Rin** : Hello!

****

He sets his tray down on the table, across from them. Casca and Kai both look up at him, and he almost immediately starts eating. 

****

**Rin** , through a mouthful of food: It’s good to see some familiar faces. 

****

**Kai** : It’s good to see you too! 

****

Casca’s eyes avert about 6-7 feet behind Rin, over at PYRRHA, who’s searching for a table to sit at. Casca raises her hand, which catches Pyrrha’s eye, and Casca points down at the table. 

****

Rin looks up at Casca, confused for a moment until he looks behind and sees Pyrrha approaching. She sits down next to Rin. 

****

**Pyrrha** , to Casca: Hi! Sorry, I didn’t know anyone else. 

****

**Casca** : It’s fine. *She turns to Kai* This is Pyrrha, from my Digital Photography class. *She points to Rin* And this is Rin. 

****

**Rin** : I’m an exchange student. I just arrived yesterday. 

****

**Pyrrha** : What a coincidence, so did I? Based on your accent and name...you’re probably from Japan, yes?

****

Rin nods in agreement. 

****

**Pyrrha** , while fiddling with her Fitbit: Are you showing him that photo you took in class today?

****

**Casca** ,: Yeah. You know what’s weird? 

****

On Pyrrha’s Fitbit, a little notification appears, telling Pyrrha she woke up at 1:32 am the prior night. 

****

**Casca** ,, continuing: I don’t know if you could see, but on that photo Mr. Mathus was talking about, my reflection was wrong. 

****

Rin and Pyrrha both stop eating mid-chew and look at each other, than at her. 

****

**Rin** ,: Wait, what? That’s not an expression, is it?

****

**Casca** ,: Nope. Here, take a look. 

****

She passes the camera across the table, and Rin holds the right side while Pyrrha holds the left. Both begin to lean in and examine the image. 

****

**Casca** , reaching across the table and pointing to the center of the right side: There. I was in front of a window, so my reflection should’ve been of my back, but it was of my front. 

****

**Pyrrha** : And you have no idea how you did it, yes?

****

Casca nods in agreement. 

****

**Rin** : And what are these numbers in the bottom of the image?

****

**Casca** : That’s called a watermark. Some digital cameras show what date and time a picture was taken, and put that onto the image itself. 

****

As she explains this, Rin mouths “watermark” one syllable at a time, trying to get a good grasp on the word. Pyrrha takes the camera and brings the watermark up to her eyes, reading the time and date: 04/17/2019, 1:32 am. 

****

**Casca** : I have no idea what the hell was happening with that photo. I must’ve been going crazy last night or something. 

****

**Rin** : You didn’t seem crazy last night. 

****

Pyrrha looks down at her Fitbit. The time’s are exactly the same: 1:32. (So, at the exact same time Pyrrha was startled awake by a disembodied voice, Casca’s very reflection had a mind of its own.)

****

Casca notices Pyrrha looking down at her Fitbit. 

****

**Casca** : Something wrong?

****

Pyrrha quickly averts her eyes back up to Casca. 

****

**Pyrrha** , a fake smile on her face: No, nothing’s wrong. 

****

Trying not to let it bother her, Pyrrha starts fiddling with the camera, looking over some of the previous pictures Casca’s taken. The times and dates in which she’s taken photos are quite inconsistent; in every image, the watermark is at least partially visible, displaying a number of dates ranging back to early 2017. Pyrrha stops at one. 

****

**Pyrrha** : Oh, wow, this one is nice!

****

Rin looks over Pyrrha’s shoulder at the image in question. It’s one of KAL AND CASCSA, both dressed up nicely, and, based on Casca’s appearance, seemingly the night of the Speech and Debate contest. 

****

**Pyrrha** : Oh, who’s this?

****

**Rin** , somewhat teasingly: Is it your boyfriend?

****

Casca reaches over and plucks the camera out of Pyrrha’s hand, lying through her teeth. 

****

**Casca** : Nope, just a friend of mine, nothing important. 

****

Rin shoots Kai a look, but Kai quickly dismisses it with a wave of his hand. The bell rings for the end of lunch, and students start getting up from their chairs. Quickly changing the subject, Pyrrha reaches into the pocket of her uniform and pulls out a folded piece of yellow paper, unfolding it twice before looking up. Casca’s already out of her seat and heading to her next class (all while tucking the camera into her pocket), but Kai and Rin remain. 

****

**Pyrrha** , to Kai: Excuse me, do you know what room this is?

****

Pyrrha points to the 5th classroom number listed on the schedule. Kai looks over it and finds the number. 

****

**Kai** : Oh! That’s the Chemistry room, it’ll be upstairs. I have that class too, I’ll just take you there!

****

**Pyrrha** : Oh, thank you so much!

****


	2. Episode 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casca, Pyrrha and Rin reveal more information. Strange things begin happening to Kai and Rin when they hang out with a friend, and a mysterious blackout plunges their small town into chaos.

_ Scene 9: _

ENTER, THE 2ND FLOOR SCIENCE HALLWAY, THE HIGH SCHOOL, DAY

Pyrrha and Kai are walking amidst a sea of students, Kai leading the charge. Pyrrha places a hand on his shoulder, trying to get Kai’s attention. 

**Pyrrha:** Honestly, thank you for doing this. 

**Kai:** Not a problem! It took me a while to get used to this place, too. 

**Pyrrha:** Listen, I had a question I was hoping you could answer. 

**Kai:** Yup, shoot. 

Pyrrha gives Kai a confused look. Kai stops walking for a second, backtracking on his last sentence upon remembering he’s talking to a foregin speaker. 

**Kai:** It means, like, “go ahead”. What’s the question?

**Pyrrha** , cutting right to the chase **:** Did I upset Casca at all?

**Kai:** What? No, no she’s fine. 

**Pyrrha:** It’s just, when we looked at that photo of her boyfriend, she got kind of...quiet. She seemed angry. 

Mouth agape and looking up at Pyrrha, Kai tries to formulate an answer. He begins as he resumes walking, Pyrrha following a pace behind him. 

**Kai:** No, no, that’s not her boyfriend. That was her brother. 

**Pyrrha:** Oh! *Facepalms* Oh, ok! That was why she was so embarrassed!

**Kai** , trying to sort out his answer: Well, see, the thing is...her brother’s gone. 

**Pyrrha:** Like, absent? Or…

She puts two and two together rather quickly when Kai doesn’t give a response to her question.

**Pyrrha:** Oh, ok. I see. 

A brief pause falls over them. 

**Kai:** I mean, it’s not your fault, you couldn’t have known, and it’s a pretty touchy subject so no matter what--

**Pyrrha** , interrupting him: --when was it?

Kai squints his eyes for a second, trying to remember. The two stop in front of a classroom. 

**Kai:** Uhhhh, in late 2017, I think? There was some sort of accident, a drunk driver hit their car. The man swerved out of the way at the last second, and Casca was fine, but Kal...well, he died that night. 

Kai’s tone quickly changes, and he looks back at Pyrrha, as if transitioning from an expository voice to a sympathetic one. 

**Kai:** But I don’t blame you! Like I said, it’s pretty touchy. 

**Pyrrha** : No, I understand. My…

She pauses for a moment, as if trying to weight the pros and cons of telling a relative stranger about her life. 

**Pyrrha:** My...mother. She died earlier this year. Cancer. It’s why I came here from Greece. 

In the background of the shot, we see a shorter girl with frizzy brown hair. Initially the foreground (Pyrrha and Kai talking, their heads seen from the neck and up) is in focus, but the background begins to shift into focus. Amidst the sea of students, this girl gives Pyrrha and Kai a curious look, but they do not notice her. 

**Kai,** eyes widening a bit in shock, still talking to Pyrrha: Oh. Oh, wow, I’m so sorry. *Curious.* So, are you staying with your dad then?

**Pyrrha** , nodding in agreement: Yeah. My parents divorced a few years ago. When she passed, I came here to America to live with him. 

Suddenly, Pyrrha becomes aware of their loss of movement. 

**Pyrrha** : Oh, we’ve stopped. 

**Kai:** Oh, uh, yeah, this is 503, the Chemistry room. Here’s our stop!

He looks in the opposite direction, over at the girl, staring at him with a sly smirk. 

**Kai:** Aaaaactually Pyrrha, you go on ahead, I’ll be right with you in a second. 

**Pyrrha:** But--

**Kai:** See you then!

Quickly walking over to the girl, Pyrrha is seen reluctantly moving into the classroom in the background. Kai says the first word. 

**Kai:** What’s up?

The girl is HAZEL KIRKNER (17), another student and a childhood friend of Kai’s, as well as arguably a friend of his entire family. 

**Hazel** , teasingly: So...does Casca know about this new girl?

Kai laughs a bit. He might be annoyed, but it’s hard to tell; he seems more amused than anything else. 

**Kai:** That’s Pyrrha, a friend of Casca’s. 

**Hazel** , surprised (and possibly confused): Oh. 

Kai pauses for a second. 

**Kai:** Well, actually, I have no idea if they’re friends, but they’re in the same class, at least. 

**Hazel** , snapping her fingers: Now  **that** ’s more like the Casca we know and love!

Snapping is a verbal tic of Hazel’s, her equivalent of an exclamation point at the end of a sentence, but to emphasize a specific phrase or word. 

**Kai:** Hey, don’t be like that!

He gently gives her a friendly, light push to the shoulder. She laughs a bit at this. 

**Hazel:** Ok, but seriously, jokes aside, are we still on for going to the mall tomorrow?

**Kai:** Absolutely! But we’ll probably be bringing Rin along. 

Hazel gives him a blank stare, as if nonverbally asking “Who?”

**Kai** , sighing: The foregin exchange student living with my family. 

**Hazel** , jokingly: Hey, who knew you had a thing for hooking up with foreign students? Save some for the rest of us. 

**Kai:** That sounds...horribly offensive. Please don’t let Rin hear you say that. 

**Hazel** , brushing past his comment: Jokes aside, I’m sure it’ll be fun. He probably hasn’t seen too much of the city, has he?

**Kai:** No, no he has not. 

These two are obviously comfortable with one-another, based on their joking, body language, etc., but Kai seems something out of the corner of his eye. 

**Kai:** Well, this should be a lot of *begins trailing off* ...fun…

He looks past Hazel at a trophy case on the wall. The case, filled with awards, medals and ribbons for various different science fairs (along with photos of the student victors) seems perfectly ordinary, and Kai can see his and Hazel’s own reflection in the glass. 

However, something’s off, and time seems to slow as Kai observes the reflection, the camera zooming in to make out the finer details. 

Kai looks largely the same, but in the reflection, his hair is a bit longer, and instead of wearing a school uniform, his clothes are more casual: he has baggy blue jeans and a black sweatshirt, the sleeves around his waist, and a tan T-shirt. 

Hazel looks completely different. She’s taller than usual, her hair a flowy yellow dress with floral designs instead of a uniform. Additionally, her chocolate brown hair isn’t in its usual frizzy style, instead straightened and styled into more of a messy bun. However, it’s clearer her nonetheless. 

**Hazel:** Kai?

Kai SNAPS back to reality, blinking once before reestablishing eye contact. 

**Kai:** Sorry, I zoned out for a sec. 

The bell rings. Passing period is over, and it’s time to head to class. Kai and Hazel each look up for a quick second, then back at each other. 

**Hazel:** Yeah, I noticed. Anyways, meet up at my house like usual? 4:30, like planned?

**Kai:** Sure! 

**Hazel:** Great! I’ll see you then. 

Hazel speedwalks past Kai, still a bit stunned and confused by the illusion he saw. He looks back at her for a second, then steps forward until the Chemistry classroom is in sight. He looks to the trophy case for a split-second, but the illusion isn’t there, and once he looks inside, he finds Pyrrha, who smiles and gives him a wave. 

Kai still has a confused look on his face, trying to figure it out, but once again, he snaps back and walks inside. 

_ Scene 10: _

SMASH CUT, THE INSIDE OF MEADOWDALE UNIVERSITY, DAY

We see Silas, back to the camera. It’s a one-take shot wherein the camera follows him as he enters the Scientific Research wing of the building. 

A nametag/badge around his neck, Silas approaches a glass door with an electronic lock. Placing the badge to the tag reader, the door beeps and a small, green light emits, signaling that the door is unlocked. 

Silas grabs the metal handle and swings the door open, a security guard (late 20s) tipping his hat at Silas as he comes in. 

**Silas:** Frank, how ya doing?

**Frank:** Pretty good, professor. It was a quiet few days while you were away. How’s the daughter?

**Silas:** Ah, well, she’s adjusting. I give her two weeks, and I’m certain she’ll love this place. 

**Frank:** That’s good to hear. Hey, you should bring her by sometime, I’m sure she’d like this place. 

**Silas:** Yeah, well, since her mother, I’m not so sure. 

**Frank:** Understandable. Well, sorry for keeping you. 

**Silas:** Oh, it’s no problem at all! 

**Frank:** Have a good day, sir. Oh, and by the way, Professor Korell’s already in. Something about a funding meeting getting delayed. 

**Silas** , smiling and nodding in affirmation: Thanks, Frank. Have a good one. 

**Frank** , resuming his post: You too, sir. 

Frank opens the door, and Silas walks in. The camera flips 180 degrees; instead of the camera being behind him, it’s in front of him, allowing for us to gauge and witness Silas’ reactions to the coworkers that greet him. 

A group of three coworkers, two women and one man, all walk past. Silas greets them, nodding and smiling, and carries on. 

Making it to the elevator, Silas pulls a silver key out of his coat pocket. Sticking it into a slot for his key on the bottom of the elevator, Silas turns the key and selects a floor. 

The panel for the elevator is structured in a unique way. The elevator is currently on ground floor, “Floor 0”. On the panel, above Floor 0 are floors labeled 1-5. Below Floor 0, however, are Floors labeled A-F. 

Selecting Floor D, Silas hits the “close door” button on the elevator and leans back against the wall as the machine hums to life and begins descending. Almost immediately, he puts the key back into his left pocket and pulls a plastic packet of pills out of his right pocket. Taking one of the PILLS, a green capsule, and putting it in his mouth, Silas SWALLOWS as we hear talking. 

**Jeanne:** She just seems so stressed lately. 

SMASH CUT, THE INSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL, BREAK ROOM, DAY

We see JEANNE talking on her smartphone, a salad in front of her, half-eaten, and a water bottle to the left of the salad. 

**Jeanne** , as she stabs a few pieces of lettuce and tomato with her white plastic fork: I don’t know what it is. She doesn’t say much after her sessions with Peggy, but I think they’re working. Her grades are fine, so I’m not too worried about that, but she just seems so...oh, I don’t know,  **distant** , at least lately. 

The shot goes SPLIT-SCREEN: on the left of the shot, Lorenzo is in a cubicle, talking on his own smartphone, while Jeanne occupies the right side of the shot. 

**Lorenzo:** I know what you mean. But I don’t know what we can do. It’s not like we have too much to confront her about. “Oh, hey, sweetheart, we noticed your grades are doing just fine, and you’re a responsible teenager who’s home every night by 8, but we’re worried.”

**Jeanne:** But that doesn’t make any sense! It’s like you said this morning, we’re her parents and we’re allowed to be worried. Just because she’s not drinking while driving and doing drugs, doesn’t mean we have no reason to be worried!

Lorenzo stops for a moment, thinking. 

**Lorenzo:** Honey...she’s not drinking, right?

**Jeanne:** I don’t know! *Beat.* Actually, I should know, and I think I do. I’m 99.5% certain that she’s not drinking and not doing drugs. I feel like we’d see more signs. 

**Lorenzo** , jokingly: Only 99.5%? Honey, get that up to 99.9, then talk to me.

Jeanne laughs a bit at this. 

**Jeanne** , a small smile still on her face **:** But I’m serious! She’s not sleeping enough. Believe me, I know she has a valid reason. She’s in these hard classes, stuff we never even attempted till college. But still, there’s a point where doing photography and being wide-awake at 1 in the morning is worrisome, isn’t it? 

**Lorenzo:** Technically it was 1:30 in the morning, but still. 

**Jeanne** , pinching the bridge of her nose: Honey, you’re not helping. 

Jeanne can’t see it, but her husband leans back in his chair, nodding in agreement. 

**Lorenzo:** Sorry, sorry. 

**Jeanne:** And even if it wasn’t she barely talks to us. I just...I never know what’s going on inside her head, you know? 

**Lorenzo:** Honey, I don’t want to invalidate your perfectly valid fears, but isn’t this just...part of being a teenager? Closing off from her parents, spending time with friends, aren’t these things ordinary?

**Jeanne:** But  **she** ’s not ordinary. Leo, we have good genes, and she’s a genius. She consistently scores highest in the school, she’s organized, she’s responsible--more so than I was at that age, for the matter. 

As she speaks, a coworker of Lorenzo’s walks by and hands him a thick folder. Without even taking the phone off his ear, Lorenzo looks up and mouths “thank you” at the man, still listening to his wife. 

**Jeanne:** *Sigh.* I’m worried there’s still...stuff about that night she’s not talking about. 

**Lorenzo** , perking up, and sitting back in an upright position: What, some kind of secret?

**Jeanne:** No, no, just...baggage, I guess. There might be so much pain and sadness in her head that she doesn’t even tell us about. Or tell  **anyone** about, besides Peggy. It’s not like we raised the social butterfly of the year, that’s nothing new, but she barely sees  **anyone.** Anyone but Kai, his family, and Nora, that is. 

Jeanne clicks her tongue, a bit of a habit of hers, trying to think. 

**Jeanne:** ...maybe I should call Bella, ask her about this. Is that the right call?

On the other end, Lorenzo is handed a second folder to work on by another coworker. He sets it down and grabs the phone, while also beginning to set it down as well. 

**Lorenzo:** Honey, I think I gotta hang up, I still have a payroll to do before the end of the night. 

**Jeanne** , looking at the clock: Yeah, I only got 3 minutes left on my break. Plus, I’m still supposed to show Lia around tonight. Gotta go, see you tonight. 

**Lorenzo:** Bye, love you. 

The two hang up. The split-screen effect disappears, leaving her looking at her phone. Taking a second to ponder her next move, Jeanne opens up her daughter’s contact info and shoots her a quick text. 

CUT, INSIDE THE HIGH SCHOOL, DAY

At the front of the room, an instructor is pointing to a number of problems written on the board with corresponding numbers and textbook pages: 1-3, 5-10, and 15-25, all on pages 101 to 112. 

**Teacher:** Alright, class, make sure to finish these problems for tomorrow’s session. The quiz will be on Monday. 

The sound of a bell ringing echoes throughout the hallways. The final bell of the day, dismissing the students. 

**Teacher** , watching as the students scramble out the door: Have a good night, everyone. 

In her final class, Casca is in the front row, the first out of her seat, and the first out the door. Almost immediately upon exiting the room, her phone buzzes. She opens it up and finds its a text from her mother: “ Btw Ill be home at 9 tonight, dad has a meeting and will be home at 6 ”. 

Casca rapidly reads over the text...only to collide with a passerby in the hallway. 

**Casca:** Shit! I’m so sor--

She looks up and comes face-to-face with MR. KAPS (mid-30s), the very same teacher at the contest we saw in the opening scene of Episode 1 (one of the three judges that judged Casca’s speech!). 

**Kaps:** Oh, hey Casca! It’s been a while!

**Casca** , visibly uncomfortable: Yeah, it...sure has. 

**Kaps:** How’re you doing? We’ve missed you at Speech, it’s been a lonely semester without you. Some of your material was fantastic!

He says this while giving her a cheesy, over-the-top thumbs up and enunciating every syllable of “fantastic”. 

**Casca** , rubbing the back of her head: Oh, yeah, well, it’s been kind of crazy trying to arrange rides home and everything. You know how it is. 

Kaps doesn’t seem too convinced. He puts a hand on her shoulder, a gesture meant to be comforting and establish them as equals, though it doesn’t really have that effect on her. 

**Kaps:** Hey, you know if you ever wanna talk about anything, you can always swing by my office, right?

Casca nods in agreement. Kaps smiles and takes his hand off, walking away. 

**Kaps:** We hope to see you back!

Casca gives a timid smile and a shy wave back. 

**Casca,** quietly, too quietly for him to hear: Yeah...we’ll do. 

She stares after Kaps, a reflective, thoughtful look on her face, as we move to…

THE FRONT DOOR COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, MID-DAY

The door swings open and, from the inside, we see PYRRHA enter. She sets her backpack next to the door, and calls out to Silas while removing her shoes. 

**Pyrrha:** Father?

From the office, we hear his reply. 

**Silas:** Yes?!

**Pyrrha** , walking over to his office: Do we have any binders?

He pokes his head out and makes eye contact with her. 

**Pyrrha:** My photography teacher said I should find one to keep all my photographs in, as a sort of portfolio. 

Silas brings his fingers to his chin in thought for a brief moment, before pointing downwards.

**Silas:** We probably have some in the basement. I should have a box with folders, notebooks and such. Just a second, I have to take a conference call, but I’ll be right back to help if you need it. 

Pyrrha nods, and Silas retreats back to his room. 

We are SUDDENLY BEHIND PYRRHA, as she opens up a thin wooden door leading downstairs. Despite the general sophistication of the house, this basement in of itself seems like it was ripped from another building; it’s a narrow hallway, seemingly half-finished, with patches of paint missing and uneven drywall. 

Going down the stairs, she runs her hand along the rough, unfinished walls. At the bottom, she flips on a light switch, and after a second of flickering, all the lights turn on. Revealing...BOXES. Dozens of them, lining the walls of the small, cramped basement, some open and revealing tools or clothes or gadgets and gizmos, others still closed or taped shut. 

**Pyrrha:** Jesus, Dad, what a pack rat…

She starts at the left end of the basement, opening up some of the boxes. On the third box, she finds a stack of framed photos. 

**Pyrrha:** What the…?

Examining the photo on the top, Pyrrha finds its COVERED in dust. She wipes away some of it with her sleeve and finds a relatively recent photo of her father with three other men. Arm-in-arm, as best friends. But one of the men catches her eye. 

Pyrrha holds the photo closer to her eyes, trying to make out some of the finer details.

**Pyrrha:** Wait, is that--

She looks at the man in the left corner of the photo, a younger gentleman with dark hair slicked back, dressed up in a white button-down shirt. 

**Pyrrha:** No way!

It’s KAL NOVELL, age 20 years old! The same person Pyrrha saw in the photo!

**Pyrrha:** My father worked with Casca’s brother?

Her train of thought is interrupted by Silas yelling down from the stairs. 

**Silas:** Pyrrha! Did you find them?!

**Pyrrha:** I’m still looking! Be up in just a second!

Scrambling to put the picture back in the box, Pyrrha puts the lid back on and keeps searching, perplexed by her discovery. 

_ Scene 11: _

THE MEADOWDALE MALL, THE NEXT DAY

**Kai:** See anything you like?

We see Kai, Hazel and Rin all sorting through T-shirts at a clothing store. Rin is hanging mostly to the side, leaning against a wall, generally uninterested in the practice. Kai already has an armful of shirts he’s willing to try on, and Hazel is sifting through the racks, keeping her eyes peeled for unique designs. 

**Rin:** Not really, no, but I’ll be fine. 

Kai nods in agreement and heads into a nearby changing room. Her back still to Rin, Hazel continues the conversation. 

**Hazel:** So, how’re you liking America so far?

Rin smiles a bit at the question, but still seems somewhat lost in thought. 

**Rin:** It’s quite nice. I especially like this part of town. Reminds me a lot of home. 

**Hazel:** Yeah?

**Rin:** Yeah. 

Rin looks around at the shirts. He’s relatively uninterested in the current store, but his attention is captivated by the stores around him. 

**Rin** , pointing outside **:** I’m going to go check these out, alright?

**Hazel** , nodding in agreement: Alright!

Rin exits from the store. We see that he has a black bag, a satchel of sorts, containing his phone and money. He’s wearing more casual clothes, a black button-down shirt lent to him by Kai and a white T-shirt underneath it, coupled by black skinny jeans. 

Rin starts looking through some of the windows into other stores. The camera is practically spinning around him at this point, capturing the full, expansive range of his focus. Pulling out his phone, Rin goes to take a picture…

...only to stop. Something’s wrong. Something’s off. 

He snaps the picture quickly, brow furrowed in confusion, then examines it. 

The stores, the sights before him, look different in the photo then they do in real life. Curious, he holds them up to compare. In the photo, there are different names for the stores, different colors and color palettes for some of the signs and displays. Some of the people he sees in real life are even absent when compared to the photo. 

**Rin** , in Japanese:  _ What the… _

Testing his hypothesis, Rin looks over to a nearby display window and holds his phone up, taking a picture of the reflection. Sure enough, there are some differences: his hair is longer, he’s wearing a pair of glasses, and his color palette is inverted. Instead of wearing black on white, he’s wearing a white sweatshirt over a black T-shirt. 

**Kai:** Rin!

Rin flips around, looking over at Kai, eyes wide. 

**Kai:** Hey, what’s wrong? Everything alright?

There’s a brief pause as Rin contemplates his reply, before pointing behind him, to the sights all around. 

**Rin:** That looks normal to you, yes?

**Kai** , truly lost: What? Yes, of course it does. Are you feeling alright? 

**Rin** , in Japanese:  _ Fuck it.  _ *In English* Yes, I’m fine. Just…

He looks back to the display window, suddenly unable to find anything wrong with what he sees. 

**Rin:** I’m just...tired, I suppose. 

_ Scene 12 _ :

CUT, IN THE BACKYARD OF CASCA’S HOUSE, DAY

**Voice** , raspy and weary:  _ Casca... _

We are behind CASCA’S CHILDHOOD HOME, a small house that juxtaposes with its expansive front and backyards, leading directly into forests and trees, overlapping with one-another in a seamless picture, partially covering the clear sky above. 

We are initially in a FIRST-PERSON POV, blinking twice. This is CASCA’S PERSPECTIVE, and she is watching the wind blow by, brushing the grass and tree limbs. 

We hear giggling, that of a small child. The perspective switches, and suddenly, we are IN FRONT OF CASCA, looking over at her. She opens her eyes, wide and confused, tears welling in them. 

She is wearing a gray dress, its fabric long and flowing in the wind. It’s nothing we’ve ever seen her wear before, some kind of figment of the setting. 

The giggling continues, she looks behind her and finds herself looking at YOUNG CASCA. But this isn’t the younger, 15-year old Casca from the first scene; no, this is a much younger version, still a child, probably 7 YEARS OLD, tops. 

**Young Casca:** Kal! Kal, get back here!

Casca’s eyes widen. She lets out a soft gasp. She turns behind her and finds the focus of her younger self’s words: KAL NOVELL, aged 11 years old, perfectly healthy and fine, giggling as he runs from his sister. 

**Kal:** No! You’re it!

The two are playing tag, their words dissolving into giggles that evolve into full-blown bursting laughter. The modern-day Casca towers over both of them, yet she is invisible. Her younger self, chasing 11-year old Kal, runs right through Casca. 

**Casca:** Wait!

She yells out at her younger self and her brother, the brother she lost. Her words have no effect; it’s not that they fall on deaf years, but they don’t seem to even register as words at all. The sound of Casca’s voice sounds slightly muffled. She’s an illusion, an invisible specter; both intangible and silent to the environment she inhabits. 

**Casca** , voice breaking: Please...come back…

Suddenly, we are back in front of Casca, zoomed in to cover ONLY HER EYES. Her glassy brown eyes shoot open. Her nervous, rapid, heavy breathing is heard. The lighting is dim, but rest assured, we are BACK IN HER BEDROOM. Not for long, however, as we move to…

PEGGY’S OFFICE, DAYTIME, THE FOLLOWING DAY

It’s the same shot (zoomed so much into Casca’s face we only see her eyes), but slightly more closed, a tad bit more relaxed yet more awake. The sound of her breathing is subdued. Additionally, the lighting is more natural and focused. It’s clearly been some time since that dream, based on all this evidence. 

**Peggy:** It’s not getting better, is it?

We zoom out and, once again, see PEGGY, sitting in the chair opposite from Casca. She’s wearing a different outfit this time, a button-down pink dress shirt and waist-high pants, but she’s just as concerned as her last visit, if not more so. 

**Casca:** No. No, not at all. I’ve never experienced something like that. 

**Peggy:** What did you do when you woke up?

They’re talking about the dream of the previous scene. 

**Casca** : Honestly? I just tried to go back to bed, forget all about that dream. But once that didn't...well, it started to really sink in. 

**Peggy:** How much you miss him?

**Casca:** No, dear god, no. I’ve already known about how much I miss Kal since that night. But what started to sink in was how much worse I’ve gotten lately. I mean, everyone has some kind of weird dream like that, but for me? It drove me to  **tears.**

**Peggy:** Don’t you think you’re being hard on yourself?

**Casca** , defensive **:** I’m not being hard on myself. I just...I’m evaluating myself. Like you taught me. 

**Peggy:** But I didn’t teach you all of that, right? 

**Casca:** Well...no. 

**Peggy:** It seems like you have this sort of…*trying to find the word* resilience to your emotions. 

**Casca:** Well, that’s not really true. 

**Peggy** , trying to convince her: Well, you react strongly to this stuff, then you beat yourself up over it. So not emotions as a whole, but you won’t really let yourself process strong emotional reactions, like grief and nostalgia and sadness.

**Casca:** Do you think that dream made me nostalgic?

**Peggy:** I don’t know. Did it? 

**Casca:** M...maybe. 

Casca seems concerned and depressed, a bit in her own world.

**Peggy:** Casca, I think you need to find some kind of outlet for these feelings. Whether it be drawing, writing, photography...whatever works for you. 

At the mention of “photography,” Casca perks up slightly. 

We zoom in on Casca’s face again. The same shot used before: zoomed in so much only her eyes become visible. Just as their conversation opened with such a shot, it ends with one too as we transition too…

CASCA’S ROOM, DAY

Light music plays. We are in a MONTAGE, any non-music audio being minimized. The montage is of Casca fiddling with and perfecting her photography. We see, in order: Casca opening up her closet door, bringing out two photography lights. She sets them up in her room and goes back into her closet, retrieving the mirror she used in the prior episode. She sets this up just like she did the first time, angling it down. 

TIME LAPSE: The camera is stationary in the corner of the room as time rapidly passes: we see Casca move rapidly around her room through various different times of the day. She is restless, and she keeps taking photos of herself, the mirror and her window, then printing out those photos and spreading them across her room. 

When Casca is finally done, time slows back to normal, and her father walks in. 

**Lorenzo:** Casca? When you get a chance, dinner’s almost done. 

**Casca:** Alright, be there in a sec. 

She’s still hyper-focused, eyes still set on the pattern/collage of photos spread out on her carpet. 

The phone rings. Casca perks up, looking around for it. 

NOVELL APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM

Casca rushes out of her room and into the living room, almost sliding on the ground with her socks. 

Casca looks down at the coffee table next to her, her black cell phone going off. She reaches down and grabs it, answering the call; it’s an unknown number. 

**Casca:** H-hello?

**Pyrrha:** Hello? Is this Casca Novell?

Casca practically SHOOTS off the couch, coming to her feet. She looks back down at her phone in confusion, then brings it back to her ear. 

**Casca:** P...Pyrrha?

**Pyrrha:** Oh, hi! Sorry, Kai gave me this number. You sound tired, did I wake you?

Classic Pyrrha: always concerned for her friends. 

**Casca:** H-how did you get this number? 

**Pyrrha:** Sorry, Kai gave me it. Are you busy right now?

**Casca:** N-no. Please, tell me, what’s wrong?

**Pyrrha:** Nothing, absolutely nothing. Or, at least, I hope nothing’s wrong. See, I wanted to apologize. 

**Casca:** For what?

**Pyrrha:** Well, for my behavior the other day, of course. It was wrong for Rin and I to start scrolling through your pictures, and I fear we stumbled upon something personal. So, I wanted to say sorry. 

There’s a brief pause. 

**Casca:** Kai told you, didn’t he?

**Pyrrha** , faking surprise: About what?

**Casca** : *Sighs* Okay, Kai gave you this number. Since you didn’t ask for it when you were in class on your first day, but you have it now, it means that you likely got it just to call me this instant. Based on your apology, you probably asked him what you did to upset me, and considering how straightforward he is and how much he dislikes lying, he probably told you about Kal. *Beat* My brother. 

**Pyrrha:** Casca, I’m so sorry, I didn’t--

**Casca:** No, it’s fine. Seriously. If we keep hanging out, you probably would’ve figured it out at some point, with or without Kai. 

She puts the phone down against her shoulder, closes her eyes, and tilts her head up at the ceiling, as if thinking and simultaneously trying to psyche herself up for what she’s about to say. 

**Casca:** Actually, I’m glad you called. We have another project coming up for photography, and I wanted to see if you would want to work on it together. Mr. Mathus doesn’t really do that, but seeing as you’re new and arriving mid-semester I’m sure he wouldn’t have too much of a problem. 

**Pyrrha:** You sure?

**Casca:** I’m sure, and I promise I’m not mad. Besides, Kai and I had a study session at my house tomorrow. So this’ll be pretty efficient. 

**Pyrrha:** When do you want me to be there?

**Casca** , shrugging: I’m not sure. Maybe at 7-ish?

**Pyrrha** , excitedly: I’ll be there. Where do you live?

**Casca** , looking out the window: Uh, I live in the Sir Alexander Apartment Complex with my folks, but they’re both at work since it’s Saturday. It should be on South Wood Drive and Nunlea Road. You can punch that in a GPS, or something, I don’t know where you live. 

**Pyrrha:** I’ll be there at 7:00, and I’ll bring my camera!

She hangs up instantly. 

**Casca** , looking down at her phone, a small smile on her face: Geez, this should be a trip. 

Casca’s tone, despite her words, is less of a classically sarcastic teenager tone, and more of a “What am I going to do with her?”/”This should be interesting” tone. 

CUT, LIVING ROOM, THE COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, DAY

On the other end of the recently-ended call, Pyrrha puts her phone in her pocket, a bright smile on her face. She stands up from her seat on a chair in front of the television and walks to the right, with the camera following her strides (occupying the foreground of the shot); while her father walks by in the background of the shot, out of focus and moving in the opposite direction. 

**Silas** , curious **:** Heading out somewhere?

Pyrrha stops and turns to Silas, who comes into focus. 

**Pyrrha:** Oh, father! I didn’t even here you. Yes, I’m going to a classmate’s house tomorrow. 

**Silas:** Really? What’s her name?

**Pyrrha:** Don’t sound so surprised. Her name’s Casca. She’s in my photography class. We’re going to work on a project together. 

**Silas:** Wow, I’m glad to see you already making friends. 

He approaches Pyrrha and wraps her in a goodbye hug, closing the distance between them. 

**Silas,** still embracing his daughter: I’m glad you’re adjusting so quickly. 

**Pyrrha:** I am too. 

He’s the first to pull away, putting his hands on her shoulders. 

**Silas:** I’m very proud of you, Pyrrha. I hope you know this. 

**Pyrrha** , smiling up at him: I do, father. 

Silas turns around and begins to walk back to the front door, a smile still on his face. 

**Silas:** I’ll be home a bit late tonight, so feel free to stay as long as you want. 

**Pyrrha** , chipper: Alright! Have a good day!

**Silas,** waving to her as he grabs his keys: You too, darling. 

He closes the door behind him as he walks out, leaving his daughter behind. 

As soon as he leaves, Pyrrha begins walking back to her room. She grabs a bag hanging off her door handle and her wallet off her bed, which she slips into her pocket. Upon exiting, however, she looks into the kitchen and notices her father left his coat behind. 

**Pyrrha** , calling out: Father! 

Grabbing the coat, she begins to walk back over to the front door...only for something to fall out of the coat pocket. Picking it up and examining it, her eyes widened in surprise and disgust. 

It’s the packet of green pills her father took prior in the episode. Pyrrha looks back to the door, her head spinning a million miles a minute. 

CUT, OUTSIDE, THE FRONT OF THE COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, DAY

Silas unlocks his car and puts his briefcase in the shotgun seat of the car, before quickly perking up, realizing what he forgot. 

**Silas:** Oh, shit…

Looking back at the door, he walks over quickly and practically throws it open. 

**Silas:** Pyrrha! Have you seen my coat!

Instead of Pyrrha holding the coat and pills, we see she’s in a completely different position, sitting on a nearby chair, having put the pills back in the pocket and hanging the coat off a seat of the kitchen table. 

**Pyrrha** , nonchalantly, pointing **:** Kitchen table. 

**Silas,** grabbing the coat: Thank you! See you tonight!

Once again, he walks out the door, leaving Pyrrha horrified and confused by her discovery. As the camera zooms in on her face, we start to hear the sound of heavy, rapid footsteps and machines beeping, signaling our transition into...

_ Scene 13: _

CUT, INSIDE THE EMERGENCY ROOM, TECHNICIAN TRAINING CLASS, DAY

We see LIA and JEANNE walking down the busy hallways of Meadowdale Hospital, the two clearly mid-conversation. 

**Lia** , grateful **:** Thank you so much for showing me around here, Mrs. Novell. Seriously, I couldn’t have asked for anything more. 

**Jeanne:** Seriously, it’s not a problem. I think it’s good we have a bright individual such as yourself taking such an interest in medicine. And, by the way, you can just call me Lia. Being at my place of work doesn’t change that. 

**Lia:** Gotcha. 

**Jeanne** , turning a corner: So, Casca’s told me a bit about the exchange student at your guys’ house. What’s he like?

Lia sighs a bit, trying to keep pace with Jeanne. 

**Lia:** I don’t know. I mean he seems like a nice guy, but he barely even talks. Well, he does, but mostly to Kai. I think he feels a bit uncomfortable around the rest of us. 

**Jeanne:** Give him some time. I’m sure he’ll feel right at home. Did I ever tell you about the study abroad I took at that age?

**Lia,** interest piqued: No! First I’m hearing of this. Where was it?

Their interactions are completely genuine. The Dresdens and Novells have known each other for years now; such interactions, even between Jeanne and Lia, are only natural. 

**Jeanne:** India, believe it or not. 25 years ago, it was  _ quite  _ the experience. But it’s a totally different world now. It was...well, it was kind of the thing that inspired me to be a doctor. Seeing all those people in need, I just felt like I could help in some way. 

**Lia:** Wow. Any plans on returning?

**Jeanne:** I’ve been wanting to return ever since I had Casca, to see how much it’s changed. But I’ve never been able to find the opportunity. *Looking back at Lia* Though I highly doubt Lorenzo would like the idea. 

Lia chuckles a bit at this, before changing the conversation. 

**Lia:** I know that Kai’s super into a lot of that humanitarian stuff. Those kinds of trips would floor him. You should really tell him about India sometime. 

**Jeanne:** I will, but right now, I have a lot of trouble on my plate.

**Lia:** Work?

**Jeanne:** Well, sort of. But Casca’s also been bothering me lately. 

**Lia** , jokingly **:** Well, I’m that way with my mom all the time if it’s any consolation…

**Jeanne:** No, I mean, like...she’s concerning me, is all. 

Jeanne’s voice starts to lower slightly, and her tone becomes more depressed, more sorrowful. The gravity of Casca’s situation weighs down on her, and she begins to vent, if only for a moment. 

**Jeanne:** I don’t know what to think. She keeps having all of these weird dreams, and she’s closing off from Lorenzo and I. She still hasn’t really moved on. It’s all quite concerning, to be honest. 

Jeanne stops herself before this turns into a full-blown rant. Based on her silence, body language and expression, she very clearly has absolutely no idea what to say. Faced with such a situation, she awkwardly averts her eyes to the ground. 

**Jeanne:** Lia?

**Lia:** Yes, ma’am?

**Jeanne:** I mentioned that I wanted to be a doctor after returning home from India. And we’re here talking about Kai and Casca, but I haven’t even asked you: *somewhat dramatically* what was your catalyst?

**Lia:** As in, what event or events inspired me to go into this field?

**Jeanne:** Yeah! What’s your equivalent to that?

Lia stops for a second, head cocked to the side as she tries to think of an appropriate way to word her response. Jeanne notices the sudden halt in movement and stops herself, turning around to face Lia. 

**Jeanne:** Lia? Is something wrong?

**Lia:** This is going to get more personal than either of us were likely expecting this conversation to be, but here it goes. 

She closes her eyes for a half-second, psyching herself into this, and looking up at Jeanne. 

**Lia:** Honestly, it was the night of Kal’s accident. I just started to think about how much I didn’t want that to happen to anyone else I know. I wanted to learn how to save lives, so the closest people in my life would be safe. 

Jeanne’s entire face falls. Lia doesn’t notice immediately. 

**Lia:** That dream started out small, but lately it’s been growing and evolving and--

She looks up, coming face-to-face with Jeanne’s somber expression. Lia’s hand automatically flies over her mouth. 

**Lia:** I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry, I should’ve just made something up--

**Jeanne:** No! Lia, look at me. 

Jeanne takes a step forward, putting her hands on Lia’s shoulders. The gesture mirrors Silas’ own gesture to Pyrrha. 

**Jeanne:** Lia, you don’t need to talk about it like it never happened. It did happen, and we all have to move on. 

**Lia** , not knowing what to say: I...I’m really sorry. 

Jeanne brings a face up to Lia’s cheek, comforting her, soothing her worries as if Lia were Jeanne’s own daughter. 

**Jeanne:** I know you are. I know. But please, don’t make the same mistake as Casca. We can’t just...never talk about it. 

**Lia:** I know. I know we can’t. 

Moisture fills Lia’s eyes. She tries to blink it out a few times. It doesn’t entirely work. 

**Lia:** I just...I really miss him. 

Jeanne wraps her arms around the younger woman, Lia’s head resting on Jeanne’s right shoulder. The camera angle shifts; rather than seeing one or the other, we see them embrace from the side, and both are visible from the waist and up. 

**Jeanne:** I know, baby, I know. I do too. It’s alright. 

On account of her head being buried into Jeanne’s shoulder, Lia can’t initially see it, but the older woman cracks a small smile, barely visible in the lighting. 

**Jeanne:** You know, they always say to look for the good in everything. It took me a long time after the accident to not hate that advice, because I didn’t understand how I could look for the good in something like that. But now I get it. 

She pulls away from Lia, looking the 19-year old in her beady, hazel eyes. 

**Jeanne:** Even if I miss Kal, I’m glad that he inspired you. You’re going to save a lot of lives, and I’m proud of you. 

It’s taking every ounce of willpower for Lia to not cry. Her misty eyes have intensified, and she’s a muscle’s twitch away from letting the waterworks out. 

**Lia** , heartfelt **:** Thank you. For everything, I mean. 

**Jeanne:** You’re welcome. 

The two stay still for another second, more employees running around them. Jeanne looks at the clock. 

**Jeanne:** I should probably take you home now, right?

Lia laughs, a tear falling from her left eye. She quickly wipes it away, a smile on her face. 

**Lia:** No, it’s okay, I think I’ll stay here a bit longer. I have to meet up with some friends. 

**Jeanne:** Okay. 

A moment of silence between them, an understanding. The two are closer now than they were mere minutes ago. 

CUT, INSIDE HAZEL’S CAR, DUSK

Hazel, Rin and Kai are all driving home from the mall in Hazel’s car. She’s driving, of course, with Kai in shotgun and Rin in the backseat. It’s a junker car, with water bottles and some fast food boxes spread out on the floor of the shotgun seat. 

**Hazel:** So how’s Rin doing? He seemed kind of shaken up at the mall. You both did actually. 

Kai looks in the rearview window and briefly angles it so he can see into the backseat. Rin has earbuds in and is listening to some pop music on his phone, unable to hear a word of Hazel and Kai’s conversation. Satisfied, Kai angles the mirror back to normal and continues talking. 

**Kai:** What? Me? No, no way, I was totally normal. 

**Hazel:** Most normal people don’t get all defensive when this is questioned. 

**Kai:** Actually, they most certainly do. 

Awkward silence. 

**Kai:** Back to Rin. 

**Hazel:** Agreed. 

**Kai:** I think he just misses home. He doesn’t really talk to many of us at home, and I think he feels kind of like an outsider. 

In the backseat, Rin turns the music off on his earbuds. Kai doesn’t even notice. 

**Kai:** He only seems comfortable talking to me. I guess it’s a combination of us being the same age and him living with me. 

Rin is listening in on every word. 

**Hazel:** Must be tough. *Looks at Kai* Being an exchange student, I mean. 

She reaches out to the glove apartment and pulls out a pair of sunglasses, putting them on and blocking out the orange-purple glare of the sunset. 

**Kai:** Oh certainly. But it’s still something I want to do. 

**Hazel:** Yeah? You’ve never told me about this. Where would you go?

**Kai:** I don’t know. Africa? Asia? Somewhere totally different, where I can be immersed in another culture. 

**Hazel:** Africa and Asia don’t narrow it down by too much. 

**Kai** , jokingly: Shut up. 

The two look at each other, now laughing. Kai blinks for a second, but when he opens his eyes…

Hazel LOOKS DIFFERENT. It’s the same as when they were talking at the start of the episode next to the trophy case; reality blurs with fantasy, and Hazel’s real-life appearance is seemingly replaced with another version of herself. It’s only for a split-second, but it catches Kai’s eye, and he starts to stare into space. 

**Hazel:** Hey?! Kai?! You good?

**Kai** , regaining his composure, looking away and rubbing his eyes: Yeah, yeah, I’m good. 

**Hazel:** See? You are acting weird. 

**Kai:** I am not!

MEADOWDALE UNIVERSITY, SCIENCE WING OF THE BUILDING, DUSK

We follow Silas as he enters the laboratory, same as last time. 

**Silas:** How goes it, Frank?

**Frank:** Hey, another day, another dollar, amiright?

**Silas:** Right you are. 

Silas walks by, quicker than last time, more focused. 

We cut to Silas in the elevator, key in the lock, selecting the floor, same as last time. But this time, he selects Floor E. 

The door opens, and we are in…

UNDERGROUND COMPOUND, UNDER MEADOWDALE LABORATORY

Silas walks forward and is greeted by two scientists: Professor KORELL (50s) and Professor STAPLES (early 60s), the same two men seen in the photo Pyrrha found. 

The entire facility is dark, with only the light from some kind of device in the background and the light from the elevator illuminating the room. Once the door closes, the area is plunged into darkness. 

**Silas:** Gentlemen, are we ready?

**Staples:** That we are. The tests have been largely conclusive so far, and we’re ready for a second shot. 

**Silas:** Excellent, good work. 

Suddenly, a quick, low ringing sound pierces Silas’ head. He bends over slightly, eyes closed, hand to his temple. A migraine? No, something different. 

We get IMAGES, FLASHES of another time. We see a HOUSE, the same house Pyrrha saw in her dream! No, in her vision! But this time, it’s painted blue! However, this changes nothing of the sound: the waves crashing against pure sand, the sound of a child. 

**Korell:** Costas?

Silas is pulled back to reality, if only for a moment. 

**Korell** , knowingly: Another vertigo session?

**Silas** , nodding in agreement: Sorry, you’re right. 

He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a pack of the pills. However, ONE IS MISSING. Silas furrows his brow in confusion for a moment, before Korell pipes up. 

**Korell:** Hey, Silas? Something wrong? You didn’t forget yours again, did you?

**Silas:** No, it’s fine, I don’t need some of yours. Just...thought I forgot something. 

He pulls out a pill, green like before, and pops it into his mouth. He swallows. Within three-four seconds, the ringing is gone, replaced by the whirring of the machine. 

The camera pans over to Korell and Staples on Silas’ left, each slipping on a pair of safety goggles. 

**Korell:** Ready?

Silas nods in agreement. He looks to his right, various other scientists are all gathered in a line, one of whom, the closest to Silas, reaches out and hands Silas his own pair of safety goggles. 

Silas puts them on. 

**Silas:** Ready. 

The machine ACTIVATES. The whirring increases, and the blue light emitting from it intensifies TENFOLD. 

CUT, OUTSIDE THE APARTMENT COMPLEX

Hazel’s car grinds to a halt. The sun has fully set; it is night. 

**Hazel:** Alright, everybody out. 

Kai comes out of the shotgun seat, and Rin opens up the backseat. The two exit the vehicle. Kai is about to wave goodbye to Hazel, but they hear something: a low-pitched electronic sound, almost a “click”, but magnified. 

**Kai:** What was that?

The three look forward and see the lights of the city turning off. A BLACKOUT. Entire buildings, well-lit in the nighttime, suddenly shut down, leaving all of Meadowdale in darkness. A second click follows, shutting off another part of the city, then a third. 

**Rin:** What’s going on?

CUT, THE MEADOWDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT, NIGHT

We see a new figure: ROY PETERSON (40s). He’s wearing a brown jacket over a white button-down, and he’s pouring over paperwork, examining file after file. He’s the only one left in the building, a small lamp illuminating his desk. 

...until the power goes out, leaving him in darkness. 

**Roy:** What the…?

The shot is now in total darkness, but we can make out a bit of movement, followed by the sound of a phone dialing. 

**Roy:** Lieutenant, did the power just go out on your end?

CUT, JAMES’ APARTMENT, NIGHT

We see another new character, a woman cast in shadows. She’s laying down on her bed, with the only source of light being the lights of Meadowdale in the background of the shot. Blowing air on her face, a small fan makes a whirring sound, lulling the woman into sleep. 

It doesn’t last too long. 

The fan shuts off, and the lights go off. After a second, the woman gets up from the bed, looking around. 

**Maura:** Hello? James?

CUT, MEADOWDALE 911 CALL CENTER, BREAK ROOM

We see JAMES HILDEBRANT (30), a 911 call director, leaning back in a chair in the break room, a spacious, well-lit area with white walls. He’s smoking a cigarette at the start of the shot, and he removes it from his mouth, holding it between his right index and middle fingers. He leans back in his chair, letting smoke come out of his mouth. 

The power outage reaches the area, and James is suddenly left in the dark. The only source of light is his cigarette. 

**James:** Wait…

His chair falls forward, all four legs on the ground. Getting out, he walks over and nudges open the door, revealing the rest of the building, equally clad in darkness. 

CUT, THE COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, NIGHT

Pyrrha is in the kitchen, her laptop on the wooden table, a power chord going into the computer, charging it. She’s on a Skype call! The two talk in Greek throughout the interaction. 

**Alexandra:** How’s everything going over there?

**Pyrrha** : Pretty fun! But I still miss you. 

The other woman is ALEXANDRA (18), a childhood friend of Pyrrha’s. Alexandra makes a sad face. 

**Pyrrha:** Hey, cheer up! I’ll still see you in a few months! And we’ll have all summer together. 

**Alexandra** : Alright, but I’m still calling you everday until then. 

Pyrrha chuckles. 

**Pyrrha:** I bet you will. I wish I was there. 

**Alexandra:** I wish you were here too. Or maybe I could be there. See any cute boys?

**Pyrrha** , laughing: One or two, yeah. 

Suddenly, the blackout reaches the area. In the background, through her patio door, we see the lights of the city turning off. Pyrrha looks past Alexandra and the computer into the city, her face shifting from carefree joy to concern. 

**Alexandra:** Pyrrha?

The power outage hits the Costas household. All the lights in Pyrrha’s house turn off. 

**Alexandra:** Wow! What just happened over there. 

**Pyrrha:** I’ll call you right back. 

Alexandra tries to say something in protest, but Pyrrha hits the end call button and reaches into her phone. She dials her father’s number and holds it to her ear, watching as the entire city turns off like a light switch. 

As the phone call goes to voice mail, we heard Silas’ voiceover. 

**Silas:** Hello, this is Professor Costas. I’m unable to come to the phone right now, but if you leave a mes--

Pyrrha hangs out. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out A GREEN PILL. One of the green pills from her father’s packet, to be exact; the very same one that her father noticed was missing. 

**Pyrrha:** Oh, dad, what are you doing?

A dull buzz sound starts to pull her away from reality. This is the start of ANOTHER HALLUCINATION. The buzzing turns to the sound of waves, the same waves she and her father already heard earlier. 

She looks up from the pill to her city...but it’s GONE. She’s in some kind of pocket dimension, a world without light. Even her laptop is gone. In the reflection of the patio door’s glass, she sees another version of herself. This...other Pyrrha is dressed as if she’s going to a party, with lipstick and faint eyeshadow, and she’s in a light blue dress. 

The other Pyrrha puts her index finger to her lips in a “Quiet” gesture, and vanishes. 

CUT, MEADOWDALE UNIVERSITY’S UNDERGROUND LABORATORY 

All the scientists are crowded around a computer/control panel for the machine, faces illuminated in the light of their machine. 

**Silas:** I don’t understand, how could this have happened? 

The scientists are crowded around a new character, one we haven’t seen before: Professor REANO (early 30s, maybe late 20s), a young woman with a pair of spectacles furiously typing away on the keyboard. 

**Reano:** I have no idea, sir. None of the tests indicated this, but there...well, it appears that there’s some kind of crack in the machine’s shell. That’s what’s causing all of this unrestrained, stray energy--

**Silas:** \--and that’s why we’re getting this blackout, yes?

**Reano:** Yes, but it’s different than last time. It’s affecting a wider area. 

**Korell:** How wide?

**Reano:** Not sure, but it might go out as far as the city limits. 

Silas thinks of his daughter back at home, and realizes even she’ll notice the incident. 

**Silas:** Pyrrha…

**Reano** , to Korell: At the very least, sir, they still won’t be able to trace it to us, so nothing there has changed. 

**Korell:** Well, that’s a relief, but it might be one of the few comforts of the night. 

CUT, DRIVING DOWN THE CITY STREETS

Jeanne is in her car, phone in the cupholder. She’s driving down the streets of Meadowdale, when she hears the same sound, followed by the electronics going off in the background of the shot. 

She continues driving, aware of the power outage and noticeably more cautious. Her poster shifts slightly, as if preparing for the worst. 

In the background of the shot, out of focus but visible, the TRAFFIC LIGHT, glowing red, suddenly SHUTS OFF. The sound of a car whirring by is heard, followed by brakes, then a crash, the unmistakable sound of metal grinding on metal. 

Street lights go off. Jeanne quickly turns her brights on, just in time. About 20 feet in front of her, at a four-way intersection, two cars moving in perpendicular directions CRASH into each other. Then one of them is rear-ended. Then another. 

The car in front of Jeanne stops suddenly. She brakes just in time, only narrowly avoiding the back bumper...only for the person behind her to rear-end her. 

It’s more of a small  _ dink  _ than a full-on crash, but she feels it. The last street light goes off. All power is gone. 

**Jeanne:** What the hell?!

She looks behind her. Shouting and screaming is heard. Horns blare. 

Looking out her left window, than her right window, she opens up the driver’s seat. The camera follows her as she looks behind her, making sure she won’t get hit, before looking forward into the background of the shot: the chaos of the crash. 

Sirens blare. Paramedics are coming. She runs forward. 

**Jeanne:** Is anybody hurt?!

Faintly, just barely, we can see a man in the driver’s seat of one of the cars, face bloody, the front of his car practically crunched in on itself, destroyed. 

By this point, she’s practically sprinting. 

**Jeanne:** Shit, shit. *Shouting*. Sir! Are you hurt!

She passes by a couple on the sidewalk, then another, then a full crowd of about 8 people, panicking, looking out into the chaos. Another scream is heard. Cell phones are being dialed. 

In the crowd, a woman catches Jeanne’s attention. She’s not looking into the chaos, but looking into a nearby alley. 

Jeanne peers in, and in the alley, a teenage girl in a white sweatshirt is visible. She has some cuts and scrapes, but nothing too major. 

**Jeanne** , approaching her: Ma’am, my name is Jeanne Novell, and I can help you--

She stops. The teenager shifts her weight slightly and looks up. The face looking up is none other than CASCA’S!

**Jeanne:** No...please, god no. 

**“Casca”:** M...mom?

“Casca’s” vision goes blurry, and as her mother cries for her to stay awake, she blacks out. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope my scenes with Casca and her therapist are even somewhat realistic. I've been in therapy multiple times but never for things such as PTSD, recurring nightmares or physical trauma, so I don't have any firsthand experiences in what a therapist would say about such things.


	3. Episode 3: The Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are two Casca's in the world now. While the Novell family deals with this sudden change, the Dresden family has to deal with their own conflict

_ Scene 12: _

CASCA’S DREAM, DAY (?)

It’s utterly, totally disorienting. We see some kind of crash site/car wreck, and total blackness. The camera flicks open and closed: this is FIRST-PERSON from Casca’s point of view, as if she is blinking slowly. A ringing sound completely overshadows all other noise. A silver necklace is vaguely in view. 

**Casca:** What...where am I?

She looks down. She feels her side and raises her hand...which is now covered in blood. 

**Casca,** exhausted and weary, voice fading: F...fuck…not...not again...

Suddenly, she jolts awake and finds…

INSIDE OF THE NOVELL APARTMENT, NIGHT

Casca is on the sofa of the Novell apartment, covered in sweat. She jolts up, eyes snapping open. Her eyes begin to water, and she brings a mouth to her hand. 

**Casca:** What...the hell...was that?

She raises an arm to the coffee table, slowly and shakily, as if her hand might collapse from the pressure. Reaching over to her black phone on the table, she scrolls through her contacts, tears in her eyes. 

She briefly stops at “Kai Dresden”, but shakes her head, banishing the thought as she goes down a few more and reaches “Nora Fairchild”. 

She presses the “Call'' button, and we fade to black, the sound of a phone ringing still present. 

We are met with THE TITLE CARD, and following it:

EPISODE 3: The Girl

From there, we transition into…

CUT, THE 911 EMERGENCY CALL CENTER, NIGHT. 

The screen GOES BLACK until we hear...A PHONE, ringing, piercing through the silence like a hot knife through butter. 

**James:** 911 operator, what’s your emergency?

On the other end is a female voice, unsure and panicking. 

**Caller 1:** H-hello? I saw a car accident, I don’t know if anyone got hurt. I…*voice breaking* I have no idea what’s going on!

**James:** Alright, calm down, ma’am. Where are you?

**Caller 1:** Uh, I’m at 13th Street next to Nectar Gardens. 

**James:** Alright, we’ll send somebody over. What’s your name ma’am?

**Caller 1:** Linda, my name is Linda Waters. 

**James:** Are you hurt, Linda?

**Caller 1:** No, no, I just saw everything. Please, hurry!

**James:** Somebody is being sent over. Thank you, Linda. 

We see JAMES HILDEBRANT. He is sitting at his desk, upright and alert, black hair messy and sticking up. He is staring at a number of monitors, a white headset on his right ear. He only has a moment of silence before another call arrives. 

**James:** 911, what’s your emergency?

**Caller 2** , frantically and rapidly **:** There’s been some kind of crash! The traffic light, it just stopped working!

**James:** Slow down, slow down. 

James continues talking, but the camera pans out. Everyone else in the call center is taking calls: at least 7 or 8 other dispatchers, all frantically trying to piece together the story. Muffled, somewhat quiet talking can be heard on other lines as the camera zooms out. 

**Caller 3** , a young man, breathing rapidly **:** I was in one of the cars! A-a gray Nissan, it’s totally wrecked!

**Caller 4** , a middle-aged woman: I have no idea if my daughter is still alive. I can barely turn my own head…

**Dispatcher 2:** Ma’am? Ma’am, are you injured?

**Caller 5** , despairing, as if having an existential crisis **:** Two of the cars collided head-on. I have no idea how this happened. No idea, whatsoever. 

They’re all describing the CRASH! The crash from the previous episode!

**Dispatcher 3:** Someone is on the way, sir. 

**Dispatcher 4:** We’re sending everyone we can. I’m asking you to stay calm. 

_ Scene 13: _

INSIDE CASSANDRA’S ROOM, THE HOSPITAL, NIGHT

We see Jeanne, overlooking Casca’s bed. But it’s not Casca: her hair is longer, similar to how it was a year and a half ago, and she has traces of blue nail polish on her hands. 

The door opens slightly, and BETHANY (early 40s) walks in. She’s Jeanne’s boss, the Senior Attending Physician of Meadowdale’s ER. 

**Bethany:** I have no words, Jeanne. I...I’m sorry this happened to you. 

**Jeanne:** She got her own name wrong. 

**Bethany** : Yes...wait, what?

**Jeanne:** She regained consciousness for a moment in my arms, back where I found her. She recognized me, calling me “Mom” and such, but her words were all jumbled. She awoke for a moment in the ambulance, just to correct me and tell me her name’s Cassandra. 

Jeanne cocks her head to the side, studying the woman in the hospital bed, a woman both familiar and utterly foreign. 

**Jeanne:** And that hair...I just saw her earlier today. Or rather, yesterday. Her hair was at least 3 or 4 inches shorter than this. 

**Bethany** , putting a hand on Jeanne’s shoulder: Jeanne, you’re a smart woman. Just because this is your daughter, doesn’t mean you can forget everything you know about medicine. She was probably just out partying with some friends, hair extensions or some such, and got into an accident and went into shock. 

Jeanne nods in agreement, still somewhat unconvinced. 

**Jeanne:** Yeah...yeah, you’re probably right. 

**Bethany:** Novell, I  **know** I’m right. You called your husband, I take it?

**Jeanne:** No response. 

Jeanne puts her head in her palms. 

**Jeanne:** God, I just feel so useless. 

**Bethany:** Novell, based on what you told me, she should be fine. Maybe some scrapes and bruises, but the worst is over. I’m just glad you got her out of there before things got worse. 

Bethany leaves the room to deal with her other patients. Jeanne remains totally still, a hand to her mouth, trying to hold back her sobs. 

**Jeanne:** Please, not again. Not again…

CUT, INSIDE THE DRESDEN APARTMENT, NIGHT

Kai and Rin approach the door to their apartment. All the lights are out, the two stumbling their way through. Hazel is directly behind them, Kai searching through his pockets for his house key. 

**Rin:** You do have the key to your own apartment, don’t you?

**Kai:** I do! I just...can’t seem to find it right now. 

Hazel rolls her eyes and walks between the two, giving the door three sharp knocks. After a moment, we hear footsteps and Tobi opens the door. 

**Tobi:** Hey, you guys are back! 

Behind Tobi, we can see that the entire apartment is shrouded in darkness, with only candles placed around the living room and kitchen illuminating the area. 

**Tobi:** Hazel, were you fine driving out there? We heard there were some accidents, what with the black out and all. 

**Hazel:** Yeah, I was fine. The blackout happened after I pulled up here. *Looking to Kai.* Well, it’s getting late. I...guess I’ll be seeing you around. *She turns to Rin.* Rin, it was good to meet you. 

Rin smiles and nods back at her, reaching out his hand. 

**Rin:** Likewise. 

Hazel looks down and shakes his hand, she turns around, about to leave the family, but she’s stopped. 

**Tobi:** Why don’t you stay here for a bit?

She flips around, looking over at Tobi. By this point, Bella has also joined in on the conversation.

**Bella:** Yeah, that’s a great idea! I mean, I can’t imagine your parents want you driving super late, especially with how many accidents we heard about. 

Hazel looks to Kai, and the two shrug at one-another. 

**Hazel:** I mean...sure, I might as well. 

The three teenagers walk inside, with Kai closing the door behind them. 

CUT, INSIDE MAURA AND JAMES’ APARTMENT, NIGHT

MAURA (early 30s, late 20s), the woman sleeping in her bed during the blackout from the climax of the previous episode, is frantically dialing her boyfriend’s number. On the third ring, he picks up. 

**James:** Baby?

**Maura** , breathing a sigh of relief: Oh, thank god, you’re okay. This power outage, it was real bad. 

**James:** I know. I’ve been getting calls about it all night. 

The shot goes SPLIT-SCREEN: on the left, Maura is in her and James’ apartment, sitting on the bed. On the right, James is back in the Emergency Calls Center, with dozens of people all frantically calling their own loved ones in the background of the shot. 

**Maura:** Christ, I didn’t know if you already were at work when it started. You left after I fell asleep, and I started watching the news and I heard about all those crashes and…

Tears fall down Maura’s cheeks onto her nightgown. She begins to cry. 

**James:** No, no, it’s okay, baby, really, I’m fine. I was already here for a few hours before I even got the first call. I’m fine, I promise. 

**Maura:** Okay, okay. I’m glad. 

**James:** God. I’m so glad you’re back home, safe and sound. 

**Maura:** When are you coming back?

**James:** Whenever they send me back. It’s crazy over here. 

**Maura:** Makes sense. *She exhales a sigh of relief.* Just...stay safe coming home, okay?

**James:** Okay. Hey, listen, I need to check in on someone else, but I’ll be home as soon as I can. Alright?

**Maura:** Alright. I love you. 

**James:** I love you too, baby. 

James hangs up and rapidly dials another number. Maura’s side of the Split-Screen disappears, and is replaced by...JEANNE. 

On the fifth ring, Jeanne picks up. 

**James:** Oh, thank god. You’re okay. You are okay, right?

James and Jeanne are close friends, but his relief at Jeanne’s well-being is nowhere near her despair. 

**Jeanne:** Well, yeah, but she’s not. 

**James:** Who? *Realization.* Oh, no, wait…

On the other end, Jeanne starts to break down. 

**Jeanne:** It’s Casca. I found her in an alley near that big crash on Marble Drive. 

**James:** That 10-car one? Oh, shit, no--

**Jeanne:** She’s unconscious right now, but she’ll be fine. Just some scrapes. 

On the other end, James breathes a sigh of relief. 

**James:** Thank god. As long as she’s fine, everything’s okay, right?

Jeanne doesn’t initially respond. She begins to cry once more, which James hears on the other end. 

**James:** Jeanne, what’s going on? She  **is** going to be fine, isn’t she?

**Jeanne:** No, you’re right, you’re right, she is. It’s just...this is just like last time. 

James’ jaw practically drops on the floor, suddenly realizing why his friend is so upset. 

**Jeanne:** I just...I can’t believe my luck. How could I let this happen? I’m just glad I arrived when I did. What if I was just a minute later? What would’ve happened? What if I never showed up at all and I wasn’t out that late at night? What if--

**James:** Jeanne!

The volume surprises James himself, but he powers through. 

**James:** Hey, listen to me, Jeanne: It’s okay, it’s all okay. You can’t spiral now. You understand?

On the other end of the line, Jeanne nods. 

**Jeanne:** Yeah...yeah, I’m fine. She will be too. 

**James:** *Reassuringly* She will be, that’s right. Did you call Leo? Where are you guys?

**Jeanne:** Hospital, third floor, along with a few other crash victims. I haven’t called Leo, but I’ve tried; a lot of cell towers are down, so I can’t get good reception from that side of town. 

**Cassandra** , raspy: M...mom…

Jeanne turns around. Cassandra’s AWAKE, or at least beginning to wake up. She blinks a few times, rubbing her left eye. Jeanne instantly perks up, the remnants of a smile on her face. Tears prick the edge of her eyes. 

**Jeanne:** James, I need to call you back. 

**James:** Wait, Jeanne--

*click*

Jeanne hangs up, forgetting about everything else but her “daughter”. She instantly goes to Cassandra’s side, practically falling on her knees. Cassandra tries to push herself up, to face her mother better, but she winces in pain and falls back, her arm flying to her side. 

**Jeanne:** Easy, easy. You were in an accident. Do you remember?

Cassandra nods. She’s sucking air in, trying to ease the pain. 

**Jeanne:** Are you alright, Casca?. 

Cassandra’s voice is weak, forced and hoarse, but heartfelt all the same. 

**Cassandra:** I’m okay, mom. 

Jeanne starts to cry. She puts her hands to her daughter’s face, and pulls her into a massive hug.

From this touching moment of mother and “daughter” comforting one-another, we transition to the polar opposite of the emotional spectrum with…

CUT, INSIDE THE NOVELL APARTMENT, NIGHT

Lorenzo is holding Casca tight as she sobs into his shoulder. They’re in his and Jeanne’s bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed. 

**Lorenzo:** Easy, sweetheart, it’s alright. 

Casca continues sobbing, her breathing shaky and unsteady. Two sharp knocks redirect Lorenzo’s attention. Lorenzo pulls away and stands up, facing the direction of the knock. 

**Lorenzo:** Door’s unlocked! Come in!

The sound of a door opening coincides with a shift in the camera. Walking into view, we see NORA (17), long-time friend of the Novell and Dresden families. Her short, blonde hair accents her sapphire eyes as she practically runs to Casca. She turns to Lorenzo and holds up a spare house key. 

**Nora** , to Lorenzo: Sorry, I let myself in. 

Lorenzo silently nods in understanding and agreement, no words needed. 

Swooping down and giving her friend a tight hug, Nora becomes Casca’s new shoulder to cry on. 

**Nora:** Alright, babe, tell me everything. 

Casca pulls away, still a mess. She tries to speak, but amidst her trembling, weak breathes, it’s not even intelligible. 

**Nora:** Shhhhhh, it’s alright, it’s alright, take your time. 

She’s clearly an expert in this, retaining her composure as she eases Casca. 

**Casca:** I was back there. 

Her words are jumbled and rushed, as if trying to speak quickly before her shaking voice fails her words. 

**Nora:** Back where?

**Casca:** The accident. Tons of cars, everywhere. I was bleeding. 

Nora puts her hand on Casca’s shoulders, eye-to-eye with her. 

**Nora:** Was Kal there?

**Casca** , shaking her head “no”: No, not this time. But it  **hurt.** It felt so  **real** . 

**Nora:** A dream always feels real when you’re in it. 

**Casca:** But I feel it  **now** . It was so detailed. Even my necklace was there. 

Casca’s eyes briefly trace over the golden necklace around her neck, a key. 

**Casca:** I’m out of the dream, but…

She trails off, bringing her left hand up to her ribs, the spot where she was bleeding in her dream. She looks to her palm, as if half-expecting for blood to still be on her skin. 

**Casca:** I still feel that pain. It still hurts. Here. 

It’s the same spot where Cassandra was scraped. 

**Nora:** It’s okay, now. Everything will be alright. 

CUT, INSIDE THE DRESDEN APARTMENT, NIGHT

The opening shot is split into a foreground and a background. In the foreground, Bella is lighting an additional candle, Kai and Lia by her side; in the background, Hazel is talking on the phone. 

**Hazel:** Okay. Okay. Alright, thanks mom. Bye. 

She hangs up, putting the phone back in her pocket, before turning to Bella. 

**Hazel** , shrugging: Alright, guess I can stay. 

**Bella** , visibly excited: Sounds great. We made extras, just in case. 

Bella turns to the side, revealing the set kitchen table. It’s cramped, containing 8 spots, but it’s doable. Candles on the adjacent countertop light up the room. 

The family (plus Rin and Hazel) gathers: Bella is on one end of the table, with Lia, Theo and Faithe on her right; Hazel, Kai and Rin on her left; and Tobi on the other end of the table. 

**Tobi:** Shall we pray?

Bella nods in agreement, and she turns to Hazel. 

**Bella:** Hazel, would you like to say grace?

Hazel is taken aback. Bella’s tone is oddly devoid of emotion, almost robotic. Hazel shoots Kai a strange look, as if she’s asking him “Dude, what gives? Your family never says grace.” He responds with a shrug and a puzzled expression of his own, as if silently replying “I’m just as confused as you are.”

The entire family joins hands, and reluctantly, Hazel holds hands with Kai (on her left) and Bella (on her right) and begins speaking. 

The camera pans to the left, moving in a circle around the family. This shot lasts for several seconds, a singular take. 

**Hazel:** Uh, dear...god. Thanks for the food, and for letting me stay with Kai’s family. I hope--

A scratching noise stops her. Tobi and Bella’s eyes open, and the two look back to the source: the adjacent hallway, leading into the family’s bedrooms. Kai and Hazel look back as well. 

The scratching stops almost immediately. Hazel powers through. 

**Hazel:** I--uh, we--hope everything’s going well. It’d be nice if you fixed the power, or something. Anyways, thanks. 

She stops talking for a moment and opens her eyes, but Tobi gives her a look. 

**Hazel:** ...Oh, and, uh, amen.

The entire family, par Rin and Hazel, says “amen” in unison, and they all begin eating. 

For a brief few seconds, the only sounds are that of the family digging into dinner, silverware clanging against plates. The silence is horribly uncomfortable, and quite uncharacteristic for the otherwise chatty, lively Dresden family. It doesn’t last long. The scratching resumes, and this time, Kai seems rather annoyed. 

**Kai** , standing up: Seriously, what is that?

**Tobi:** Sit down, son. We’re eating. 

Kai seems unconvinced. He turns to his father. 

**Kai:** Just a second, dad. 

He pushes his chair back and walks to the hallway, but Lia stands in his way. 

**Lia:** Dad told you to sit. 

Kai shoots her a look, equal parts pissed off and confused. 

**Kai:** Why are you acting so weird?

Before an argument can emerge, his phone rings. Kai reaches into his pocket and pulls out his smartphone, revealing the Caller ID: Pyrrha Costas. He looks up at Lia, who nods in acknowledgement and sits back at her seat, as if their miniature confrontation never happened. 

**Kai** , answering his phone: Hey Pyrrha.

**Pyrrha:** Hello! I was just checking up on you. Did your power go off too?

Lia and Kai stand their ground, neither moving. She crosses her arms and stares down her brother, who maintains eye contact while talking with his classmate. 

**Kai:** Yeah, it was city-wide. I’m surprised it affected you, seeing as you live so far out of town. Did you hear about all the accidents?

**Pyrrha** : No! What happened?

**Kai:** Some traffic lights were aff--

He’s cut off by that same sound, louder, but less of a scratching sound and more of a rubbing/pounding. 

He brings the phone back to his ear, and Pyrrha’s voice becomes audible again. 

**Pyrrha:** Kai? Kai, were you saying something?

**Kai:** Just some annoying sound, don’t worry about it.

CUT, INSIDE THE COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, NIGHT

We SHIFT over to Pyrrha’s end of the conversation. She is in her bathroom, her power still out. She illuminates the room with a flashlight, and in the reflection of the mirror, we see what she is doing: she is taking the green pill she found in her father’s coat pocket and putting it in a small plastic bag, tightly zipping it and folding it up. She puts it in her pocket and keeps talking with Kai. 

**Pyrrha:** What was it?

CUT, BACK INSIDE KAI’S HOUSE

**Kai** , continued: I have no idea. Hey, my family’s eating dinner right now, could I call you back?

**Pyrrha:** Oh, sorry to intrude! See you at school. 

She hangs up, and Kai puts his phone away. He turns to Lia for a brief second, then hears that damned noise again. Walking into the hallway, he opens a door right across from the bathroom…

...and is met with his MOTHER, bound and gagged. Beyond her, his father, Theo, and Faithe! All tied up, hands behind their backs, Faithe kicking the door with her tied feet. Kai is at a loss for words, horrified by the sight: he freezes, and doesn’t initially hear the footsteps behind him. 

**Kai:** What the hell?

Behind him, the camera lingers on an out of focus Lia, holding a BASEBALL BAT. Faithe tries to scream, shout, say ANYTHING to warn her brother of the danger behind him, but he doesn’t realize. He leans down, about to untie about his family, only to be hit smack in the head with the baseball bat. 

CUT, THE DINING ROOM, DRESDEN HOUSEHOLD, CONTINUED

At the dining room, the dull *thuck* and the sound of Kai’s unconscious body falling to the floor alerts Hazel. She stands up, scared and cautious. 

**Hazel:** KAI!?

No response. The rest of the family is eerily calm and quiet, all looking up at her, staring at her like prey analyzing a predator. 

**Hazel:** I’m just...gonna go…

She’s clearly unhinged, and uneasy. She reaches for the keys on the table, but “Bella” SHOOTS OFF her chair and grabs Hazel, holding a rag with chloroform on it. She grabs Hazel by the arms and presses it to her face. 

**“Bella”:** Shhhhh, shhhh, it’s alright now. 

In the foreground of the shot, Hazel squirms slower and slower, until she stops entirely, unconscious. In the background of the shot, Rin tries to run, only to be stopped by Lia, who walks into the shot. “Tobi” comes into focus and holds Rin in place while Lia swings and knocks him out. 

CUT, INSIDE CASSANDRA’S HOSPITAL BEDROOM, NIGHT

Cassandra and Jeanne are talking once more, the conversation light-hearted, relieved and relaxed. Jeanne is no longer by Cassandra’s side, instead pacing around in a small circle at the foot of her bed, phone pressed to her ear, calling Lorenzo. 

**Cassandra:** How long was I out? Just a few hours right?

**Jeanne:** If that. I’m glad I found you when I did, and I’m grateful to every deity out there that nothing serious happened to you. On the ambulance ride over, you were acting kind of...loopy. 

On the last word, Jeanne turns to Cassandra and makes an over-exaggerated “crazy” gesture, tracing out a circle in the air with her pointer finger. Cassandra laughs. 

**Cassandra:** Wow, I don’t even remember an ambulance. I just remember waking up here. 

Jeanne frowns and puts her phone back in her pocket. 

**Cassandra:** Still no word from dad, huh?

**Jeanne:** No, something must still be wrong with the power lines. 

Cassandra redirects the conversation back to its original point. 

**Cassandra:** So, how was I acting weird?

**Jeanne:** You just kept saying all this...nonsense. 

**Cassandra** , jokingly: Oh! Like when I got my wisdom teeth out. 

Jeanne chuckles at the memory. Cassandra can barely get the words out, she’s laughing so much. 

**Jeanne:** No, not quite like that. Not as funny. But you kept calling yourself Cassandra?

Cassandra stops laughing abruptly. 

**Cassandra:** You...you mean my name?

Beat. 

**Jeanne:** What?

**Cassandra:** Sorry, just a second ago it sounded like you said I kept saying weird stuff in the ambulance, like calling myself Cassandra.

**Jeanne:** I did say that, yes. 

**Cassandra:** That’s...my name, mom. 

Cassandra is taking this for a joke, or some kind of memory lapse on her mother’s part. She starts laughing again. Jeanne, however, is now dead serious, any relief and relaxation in her tone severely mitigated. 

**Jeanne:** Casca, sweetheart, what’s going on?

**Cassandra:** Don’t call me that. 

**Jeanne:** Your name? You don’t want me to call you your name?

**Cassandra:** That’s not my name. It’s...still Cassandra. Cass for short. 

Any humor on Cassandra’s part is replaced with confusion and, more noticeably, unavoidable awkwardness. 

**Jeanne:** What’s gotten into you?

**Cassandra:** Nothing! I heard you call me that when I woke up, and I thought I misheard you, but now I’m pretty sure I didn’t. Anyways, you keep calling me the wrong name, I might as well ask you the same thing. 

**Jeanne:** That’s not---nevermind. 

Jeanne sighs and rubs her eyes in frustration. She tries to regain her composure, prevent herself from getting into a full-blown argument. 

**Jeanne:** What are we doing. It’s late, we’re both tired, you were in a car accident, you’re probably still in shock. I don’t know why I almost got mad at me. 

**Cassandra:** I don’t think so?

**Jeanne:** Don’t think what?

**Cassandra:** I don’t think I’m in shock. I just have no idea why you called me the wrong name. 

**Jeanne:** Why do you insist that your own name is somehow wrong?

Jeanne puts her head in her hands for a second, running through her hair. Once she’s done she finds Cassandra staring at her. 

**Jeanne:** Also, when did you find time to get hair extensions?

**Cassandra** , thoroughly puzzled: What!?

**Jeanne:** What do you mean “What”?

**Cassandra:** I’ve done absolutely nothing to my hair, mother. 

**Jeanne:** Clearly you’ve done something with it. 

**Cassandra:** It’s the same as it was yesterday. 

**Jeanne:** It most certainly is not. Must’ve added almost three inches onto it. 

**Cassandra:** Bullshit! I didn’t add anything! 

**Jeanne:** Hair doesn’t just...magically grow that much overnight! 

**Cassandra** , practically shouting at this point **:** I know, and it didn’t!

**Jeanne:** Why are you being so argumentative and getting so angry? 

**Cassandra:** I’m not argumentative, and I’m only angry because you are! You’re acting super weird, and it’s kind of creeping me out. 

**Jeanne:** Of  **course** I’ve been acting weird! I’ve been worried sick about my daughter. I…*voice starts to break*...I couldn’t lose you too. 

**Cassandra:** W-what?

Jeanne doesn’t hear Cassandra at first; she keeps talking. 

**Jeanne:** Jeez, I thought it was going to be just like that night. 

**Cassandra:** That night? What do you mean that night?

Jeanne looks at Cassandra with an amalgamated expression, somewhere between “you’re being kind of an idiot” and “I’m disappointed with you” mixed with genuine confusion. 

**Jeanne:** Why are you playing dumb?

This sets off Cassandra. 

**Cassandra** , infuriated: WHAT!?

Jeanne walks back to Cassandra’s side, dead serious. 

**Jeanne:** You know what I’m talking about. The night we lost him. 

**Cassandra:** Who?

This infuriates Jeanne. The two are practically raging at each other. 

**Jeanne:** “Who?” You know who. 

Jeanne laughs, but not an actual laugh, more of that laugh that parents give when they’re utterly, intensely disappointed in their child and taken aback by their own stupidity/disrespect. 

**Jeanne:** C’mon, you don’t even directly talk about it, and now...what!? You pretend he doesn’t exist?! Or that he never existed? That you don’t know what I’m talking about?

**Cassandra:** Who?

**Jeanne:** YOUR BROTHER!

Jeanne’s voice is booming. Like a calm following a storm, the room falls silent. You could hear a feather drop. 

**Cassandra:** Kal?!

Jeanne stops herself from getting angrier. She takes it back a few notches, but remains firm in her standing, her voice calm but definitive. 

**Jeanne:** Yes, Kal. Your brother, who died in a car accident 18 months ago. 

**Cassandra:** Kal’s...gone?

If there was any semblance of anger left if Jeanne, it faded immediately. 

**Jeanne:** You...you seriously don’t remember?

**Cassandra:** No!

Jeanne places a hand on Cassandra’s shoulder. Her voice shifts; less like a mother talking to a daughter, and more like she’s informing a deceased patient’s loved ones. 

**Jeanne:** He died in a car accident. Drunk driver. You were in the car with him. They told me the impact didn’t cause any brain damage but--

**Cassandra:** No, that can’t be right. 

**Jeanne:** I hate it too. I hate telling you again, we already had this conversation once before, but--

**Cassandra:** No, I mean that  **literally** can’t be right! Where’s my phone? 

**Jeanne** , voice breaking: Please, don’t make this harder than it is already. 

**Cassandra:** Mom, where’s my phone?

**Jeanne:** Casca, just stop…

**Cassandra** , crying: That’s not my FUCKING name!

BETHANY walks into the room, worried and distressed. The potential reignition of Jeanne and Cassandra’s argument is cut short, and both immediately look to Bethany, awkwardly holding a clipboard. 

**Bethany:** Hey, Novell...can I talk to you?

The camera remains on Jeanne’s face. We hear her speaking, but her lips aren’t moving; it’s a voiceover. 

**Jeanne** , voiceover **:** You’re positive there’s no brain damage?

CUT, OUTSIDE CASSANDRA’S ROOM, THE HOSPITAL HALLWAY

Jeanne is talking to Bethany outside the room, her worries only magnifying with each passing second. 

**Bethany:** I’m positive. I can run the tests again personally, or one of our other guys can do it, but she was only scraped up. It’s a miracle she got out like she did. 

**Jeanne:** But how?

**Bethany:** How...what?

**Jeanne:** How did she only have some scrapes and a cut on her side? That doesn’t make any sense. If she was in one of those cars that got hit, her injuries sure don’t match it. 

**Bethany:** Maybe some glass hit her? Look, Jeanne, it doesn’t even matter, you’re deflecting. 

**Jeanne:** I am not!

**Bethany:** Yes you are!

A brief pause. Jeanne doesn’t even bother arguing anymore; she knows her boss is right. 

**Jeanne:** Good god, what do I do?

**Bethany:** There’s nothing you can do. Whatever happened, it’s not physical. 

**Jeanne:** What do you mean?

**Bethany:** She must be...I don’t know, repressing those memories in some way. 

**Jeanne:** But why?

**Bethany:** Her brother was in a car accident. She was with him. The trauma did her in for a while, and now she got in another accident. She can’t remember the details of the accident, either of them, because she doesn’t want to. It’s easier. 

Jeanne looks back at Cassandra, simply staring into space, thinking. 

**Bethany:** Go, be with your daughter. She’s going through a lot more than we could’ve expected. 

**Jeanne:** Thank you, Bethany. I will in just a second. 

Bethany puts a hand on Jeanne’s shoulder and walks past. The camera lingers on Bethany, who reaches into her pocket and begins dialing. After three rings, the call picks up. 

**Jeanne:** Hello, Peggy? Yes, I know what time it is, but I need some advice. 

CUT, COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, NIGHT

We see Pyrrha just after she hung up on Kai. She is now in the kitchen, her laptop open once more, several tabs open simultaneously. The one she is focused on, and the one that is taking up the most room on her screen, is an article on different classifications of drugs. Pyrrha holds the plastic bag in her free left hand, turning it over, examining the pill in the light cast by her nearby flashlight. Her phone vibrates, and she looks down at the caller ID: Father. 

She ignores it, turning back to work. After a few seconds, the calling stops. Reaching over, Pyrrha picks up her phone and she starts to go through her contact list. She briefly pauses at the name “Casca Novell”. Pyrrha closes her eyes, trying to focus. The dull buzzing sound starts again, and just like earlier that night, it’s replaced by waves…

**Pyrrha:** Once more…

She’s having another hallucination, another WARP into a different universe. But this time, she’s not a mere passenger to the workings of the multiverse: she’s EMBRACING IT, FORCING IT, even as she focuses. 

Once again, we get the FLASHING IMAGES of the Costas Household: the childhood home, PYRRHA’S childhood home, the sound of waves and laughter. She opens her eyes, arriving at the place she was raised in, but it’s different now. The paint is PURPLE, instead of the blue her father saw earlier!

**Pyrrha:** There it is…

She opens her eyes. Much like how Casca arrived at the backyard of her own childhood home last episode, Pyrrha seems to physically teleport into the front of the house. 

**Pyrrha:** Just like old times. 

The camera is behind her now, the wind blowing through her hair. She is in the same gray dress Casca wore during her strange dream. Pyrrha’s fists clenched together, and while she remains stationary (and the camera is still firmly behind her), she seems to MOVE. No, that’s not right: EVERYTHING ELSE MOVES. She is WILLING this reality to change at her will. She is suddenly in front of the house’s wooden front door, than on the other side of the door, then in front of an OFFICE. 

She reaches forward at the brass doorknob. She is about to turn it, jiggle the knob, but her hand moves right through. 

**Pyrrha** , triumphant: Yes!

The house is empty. She looks through a window. She sees her father and mother, much YOUNGER, and Pyrrha, only a little kid, maybe 7 or 8 years old. 

Pyrrha STOPS. She looks out at her mother, ALIVE AND WELL. The camera zooms in on Doris, then on Pyrrha’s reaction. She looks like she’s about to tear up, but she can’t. She has a mission. 

She ignores the mission. 

Forsaking the very reason she’s here, Pyrrha turns, the office forgotten. She walks out to the open window, and leans out. 

Doris is a beautiful woman, with a white sundress and a beachhat that she’s holding onto to keep it from flying away. The younger Pyrrha is swimming with her father in the ocean, Doris watching them. She doesn’t initially notice the 17-year old Pyrrha PHASING right through the wall and landing on her feet. 

Pyrrha slowly walks forward, agonizing steps against the sand. Once she’s barely 5 feet away, she speaks. 

**Pyrrha,** in Greek **:** _ M...mom? _

Doris looks back at Pyrrha, and the relaxed, content smile quickly fades into a frown of worry. 

**Doris:** What are you doing here?

CUT, INSIDE THE COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, NIGHT

And suddenly, Pyrrha is BACK IN HER OWN HOUSE. 

**Pyrrha:** Mom! MOM!

No response, just the sound of a car pulling up. She’s GONE, and with it, the entire HOUSE. Pyrrha is no longer warping, she’s back in her own reality, and her emotions run wild. She falls to her feet, clutching her hand to her chest, and tears streamed down her face. 

In the background, out of focus, her father opens the door. Scared and panicked by the blackout, his anxiety worsens when he sees his daughter. He runs to her side, and hugs her. 

**Pyrrha:** M...mom...please...don’t go…

CUT, INSIDE THE NOVELL HOUSEHOLD, NIGHT/EARLY MORNING

Nora is still with Casca, as is Lorenzo. 

**Lorenzo:** Nora, do your parents know you’re here?

**Nora:** Yeah, they were cool with it, since it’s Casca. 

Casca perks up in realization. 

**Casca:** Oh, I should...probably call my mom. 

She reaches over to her phone and powers it up, but is met with only a black screen and a dead battery symbol. 

**Lorenzo:** Here, use mine. 

He hands Casca his phone, and she begins to dial her mother’s number immediately. Jeanne quickly picks up. 

**Jeanne:** Oh, thank god, Lorenzo! The cell towers are finally working! Listen, something bad happened but I need you to not panic--

**Casca:** Wait, why did something happen with you and Lia at work?

Jeanne is taken aback on the other end. Silence. 

**Casca:** Sorry, mom, this is Casca. My phone’s dead so dad gave me his. 

CUT, THE HOSPITAL, INSIDE CASSANDRA’S ROOM

Cassandra is PASSED OUT in the bed, with Jeanne back in the room and watching over her. She holds the phone out and looks over it, as if questioning if what she’s hearing is reality, before getting back to it. 

**Casca** , continued: Anyways, sorry, but Nora’s over here and she’s spending the night. I had this  **horrible** dream, I was in some kind of crash, and---

**Jeanne:** Casca, tell me I’m not going crazy. 

Jeanne is watching over her “daughter”, while hearing her daughter’s voice. And she looks like she’s going to snap in half from the confusion of the situation. 

**Casca:** What? Sorry, I know it’s late, I just really needed Nora over here and--

**Jeanne:** Casca, come to the hospital as soon as you can. Bring your father, I haven’t been able to get a hold of him. Nora too, if you must. 

**Casca:** Are you alright?

On the other end, back in the apartment, Nora is looking particularly concerned. Lorenzo reaches over and takes the phone back from Casca. 

**Lorenzo:** Honey, is everything alright. 

**Jeanne:** I think our daughter was in an accident. 

Jeanne is totally, utterly calm, to an almost eerie extent. Her husband, by contrast, is getting increasingly worried. 

**Lorenzo:** What?! I’ve been with her all night! Nora and I both have!

**Jeanne:** I know you have, I just talked to her. Leo, please, come here as soon as possible. 

**Lorenzo:** Why? Are you hurt?

**Jeanne:** No, I’m completely fine, and I need to make sure Casca is too. Please, come quickly. If I tell you now, you won’t believe me, you need to see it. 

**Lorenzo:** Honey, you’re not making sense. I just need to know--

**Jeanne** , desperate: PLEASE, just...come here. You need to see this ASAP. 

She hangs up, leaving Lorenzo, Nora and Casca all increasingly concerned. 

CUT, INSIDE THE DRESDEN APARTMENT

Tobi is working on tying up Rin’s legs, while Bella does to same with Hazel’s hands. Kai is unconscious nearby, as is Rin, but Hazel is still awake, the gag not yet in her mouth. 

**Hazel:** Oh, god, I’m gonna die, aren’t I?

Bella does not respond. 

**Hazel:** Were you guys always like this? Everytime I came over, you intended to kidnap us and your own son? What was the goal here? The endgame?

**Bella:** Quiet, you’re making it hard to think. 

**Hazel:** Don’t I at least deserve the right to know?

**Bella:** You would never believe me. Now be quiet. 

**Hazel:** Alright. 

Moments later, Rin starts to wake up. 

**Hazel** , delighted: Rin! Rin! Oh, thank god, are you okay?!

Rin mumbles something incoherent. In his state of “recently knocked unconscious with a baseball bat,” he’s not doing too hot right now. 

**Hazel:** I swear to god, we’re going to get out of this, okay?

**Tobi:** No, you’re not. 

Before Hazel can respond, Bella puts the gag in her mouth. 

From there, the fake versions of Lia, Tobi and Bella begin picking up the three teenagers, one at a time. Starting with Kai, they pick up his unconscious body and carry him over to the open door where the rest of his family is kept. Afterwards, they do the same to Rin. Moving on to Hazel, she tries to scream, but it’s muffled and rendered unintelligible by the gag. 

**Bella:** It’s alright. Pretty soon, everything will be over, alright?

Tobi briefly moves into another room, leaving “Lia” and “Bella” to handle Hazel alone. The two lift her up, and we are shown the process from Hazel’s point of view, the two gradually bringing her over until…

CRACK!

Hazel looks up to find LIA. The real LIA. Unlike her doppelganger, wearing a yellow floral dress with her hair tied in a ponytail, the real LIA appears as she did last episode, her hair let down and wearing jeans, a black T-shirt and a brown leather jacket. 

Lia cracks the baseball bat over Bella’s head and she goes down. Fake Lia steps forward with a knife in her hands, but Lia knocks it out and hits her with the hilt of the bat. 

**Lia:** Stay the FUCK down!

She’s FURIOUS, adrenaline coursing through her veins, but she makes the same mistake as Kai did the first time. She leans down and looks at her real family, bound and gagged, then at Hazel. 

**Lia:** Hey, hey, Hazel! Are you alright?

She reaches in and takes the gag out. Hazel immediately starts hyperventilating and shouting. 

**Hazel:** Who the...what the…?!

She looks back at the unconscious Fake Lia on the ground, then at the real one. Hazel turns her head to the right and gets a clear look at the room, filled with the captive Dresden family, the REAL ones. 

**Lia:** Hazel, what’s going on?

**Hazel:** Look out!

Lia FLIPS around, and is met with the boot of “TOBI”. He kicks her in the face, and she falls down, nose bloodied. 

**“Tobi”:** One. Last. Distraction. 

He’s about to reach down and start attacking her, choking her, doing SOMETHING. Until...

RIN LEAPS ON TOBI. Legs and hands still tied, Rin wraps his bound arms around Tobi’s neck. Rin JUMPS UP and SLAMS his feet into the back of Tobi’s knees. Tobi comes crumbling down, and Rin puts the full force of his body on the larger man. Tobi gives Rin a weak punch in the ribs, but Rin is VICIOUS, BRUTAL and EFFECTIVE, not relenting or even flinching until Tobi collapses, unconscious. 

Lia is panting. Hazel is startled. But Rin calmly reaches down and grabs the knife Fake Lia tried to use against Lia, and he cuts his restraints, before falling down on his butt and cutting off the ropes tying his legs together. 

**Lia:** Where’d you learn to do that?

Rin ignores her, cutting through the last of the material. He throws Lia the knife, and she catches it, nearly dropping it. 

**Rin:** Free Hazel, I’ll work on the others. 

CUT, INSIDE THE HOSPITAL

We follow PEGGY, speed walking into the hospital. She’s wearing a long black coat, bag in hand. She approaches the front desk. 

**Receptionist:** Name?

**Peggy:** Margaret Morrison. I’m here to see one Casca Novell. 

**Receptionist:** Room number and relationship. 

**Peggy:** Room 303, and...grandmother. 

An obvious lie, but the receptionist doesn’t question. 

**Receptionist:** Sign here. 

**Peggy** , taking a pen: Thank you…

She trails off. Something catches her eyes. She looks up and sees CASCA, the real Casca! And next to her, NORA AND LORENZO. 

**Peggy:** ...Wait…

CUT, OUTSIDE CASSANDRA’S ROOM

The three adults (Lorenzo, Peggy and Jeanne) plus Nora are on the waiting chairs. The adults are mid-conversation, with Nora a few chairs away, removed from the interaction, talking with Casca. 

**Peggy:** Jeanne, when you first called me, it sounded like you were describing DID. 

Peggy sounds confused, but above all, FRUSTRATED. Like she’s been met with an impossible puzzle. 

**Jeanne:** What’s that?

**Lorenzo:** You mean Dissociative Identity Disorder?

**Peggy:** I do. *To Jeanne* DID refers to having multiple distinct personalities in one body, oftentimes as a defense mechanism for those that experience some kind of traumatic event. 

Your daughter insists on being called a different name, has different memories than you, and insists that events happened that were clearly impossible. I didn’t have much to go on, but it sounded like that. Like she “split”--so to speak--either the night of Kal’s accident and it’s only just now emerging, or this was her first real episode. Now I see...it’s a whole other ballpark. 

**Lorenzo:** Jeanne, what the hell’s going on?

Jeanne exhales, remembering the events of the night so far. 

**Jeanne:** During the blackout, I couldn’t get a hold of you, and I couldn’t for hours afterwards. But when I was driving home from the hospital, I saw Casca out there. 

At “that girl”, Jeanne points to Cassandra’s room. 

**Jeanne:** She looked different, but I didn’t think of it. I brought her here, and it was a miracle, Leo: nothing wrong, just some scrapes and scratches. The worst was a particularly nasty one on her side. I didn’t think anything of this. 

**Lorenzo:** And you didn’t call me?!

**Jeanne:** I tried to, at first! But you didn’t answer, and, well…

She looks out at Cassandra, and a wave of emotion washes over her. 

**Jeanne:** Leo, I was so relieved, I thought we lost another, but she was safe and fine and healthy, and…

She trails off. 

**Peggy:** I presume there’s a “but” in that sentence. 

**Jeanne:** ...but she was acting weird. Saying different names. She couldn’t remember Kal’s accident. She couldn’t remember a lot. I thought it was retrograde amnesia. 

**Lorenzo:** Which is?

**Jeanne:** Short-term memory loss. Someone gets in an accident and can’t remember what happened right before the accident. It made sense, she wouldn’t tell me who she was driving with or why she looked different, but it...well, it didn’t hold up. 

**Jeanne** , continued: See, if Casca couldn’t remember Kal’s accident, that would imply some kind of long-term memory loss, but she could remember some stuff between then and now. But some of the stuff she remembered was...wrong. 

**Lorenzo:** How so?

**Jeanne:** It wasn’t as simple as her not knowing about Kal’s accident. She was  **convinced** that we just went out together for a family dinner recently, and she was recalling things for her birthday and  **his** that never happened, that  **couldn’t** have happened. It wasn’t just that she was forgetting things, it was that she was injecting  **new** things. Not to mention she was insisting I got her name wrong. 

**Lorenzo:** What?

**Jeanne:** She  **insisted** her name was Cassandra, and got mad at me for not remembering this. 

The three adults fall silent. None of them have a reasonable explanation for this. 

**Nora:** This isn’t like  _ The Parent Trap _ , right?

**Lorenzo:** Of course not. 

A beat. 

**Lorenzo:** Besides, in that movie, Annie and Hallie had different lives and memories, and they lived on other sides of the country and only met--

**Jeanne:** Honey, we don’t need a full recap of the movie. 

**Lorenzo:** I’m just saying. Good movie. 

**Peggy:** It was a pretty fantastic film. 

Silence ensues once more. 

**Nora** , to Lorenzo: Sir, Casca doesn’t have a twin, right?

**Lorenzo:** Of course not. *Pause.* Hey, Jeanne, she doesn’t have a twin, right?

**Jeanne:** They’re not twins! End of discussion!

In their own separate conversation, a few feet away, Casca seems delighted, content with their current position. A large smile on her face. 

**Nora:** What’s gotten into you?

**Casca:** I was right. 

**Nora:** W-what? About what?

**Casca:** Our universe. Or, rather, our universes. 

**Nora:** You’re not making sense. 

**Casca:** Remember that speech I wrote when I was a sophomore?

**Nora:** N...no. I don’t. What speech?

**Casca:** Speech and debate, I was 15, I wrote on the expansion of the universe. 

**Nora:** I’ve never heard of this. Are you okay?

**Casca** , grinning ear to ear: Never better. Anyways, matter can arrange itself in only so many ways, right? Matter arranges itself to make the elements, animals, plants, stars, planets, even us. But there are only so many combinations, right?

**Nora:** I guess. Casca, you’re scaring me. 

**Casca:** I’m fine, and it doesn’t matter. Anyways, if the universe is expanding indefinitely, some combinations have to repeat at some point, right? The same planets, the same stars, similar plants, similar animals, similar **life.** What if all of that was its own universe? What if there was another Earth, another me!

**Nora:** And...you think that’s another you?

**Casca:** Sure!

**Nora:** What if it’s just a doppelganger? Like all those celeb lookalikes! Like Natalie Portman and Keira Knightley!

**Casca:** Natalie doesn’t share Keira’s memories, Nora. 

**Nora:** I’m just saying, you were clearly in a...bad place, when I came. Thinking of your brother. So let me tell you: I know what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking is…

**Casca:** Crazy? Nora, there might be another Kal out there! And this might be the key!

**Nora:** Or it might be some total stranger who looks like you, and just happened to live in the same city for many years before you two met tonight. 

Peggy’s announcement cuts Casca and Nora’s conversation short. 

**Peggy:** Girls, I think she’s waking up. 

Casca bolts over, already opening the door before she can hear her father’s protest. She practically SLAMS the door shut, and Cassandra starts to wake. 


	4. Episode 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casca and Cassandra finally have a chance to talk, about their family and the multiverse. Kai, Lia, Hazel and Rin get a chance to meet Cassandra while dealing with the fallout of their own battle. Something awful happens to Pyrrha's father.

OUTSIDE CASSANDRA’S ROOM

Lorenzo, Jeanne and Nora rise to their feet, following Casca as she SLAMS the hospital door to Cassandra’s room shut. Lorenzo reaches over to open it, but he’s stopped. Peggy reaches over and grabs his wrist. 

**Lorenzo:** What are you--

**Peggy:** Wait, let’s just see where this goes. 

**Jeanne** , irritated: Why?

**Peggy:** I think Casca needs this more than anything right now. 

INSIDE CASSANDRA’S ROOM

Cassandra rubs her eyes, disoriented and more than a little exhausted. 

**Cassandra:** Who is…?

She trails off once she gets a look at Casca--a look at  **herself** \--and suddenly the question doesn’t need answering. 

**Cassandra:** Oh. 

**Casca:** Yeah. 

A bit of silence. Casca’s reading the room, and Cassandra has no idea what to say. Casca sits on the edge of her bed. 

**Casca:** My name is Casca. Apparently, there’s been quite a bit of confusion here. 

**Cassandra:** I’m so sorry. This is all a misunderstanding. One of epic proportions. 

Cassandra seems genuinely stressed, but she’s acting. Casca’s unconcerned, straightforward and blunt. 

**Casca:** Yeah? How so? If you’re about to say something to the extent of “oh, what are the coincidences I happen to have a look-alike who lives in the same city as me,” save it. 

Cassandra says nothing. Her excuse died in her mouth. 

**Cassandra:** That would be kind of stupid, huh? You would never fall for that.  **I** would never fall for that. 

**Casca:** No. No, we wouldn’t have. Those stories you see on the Internet about two people who met by fate, or luck, or whatever you wanna call it...they’re strangers. They know nothing about each other. It’s just genetics, that’s it. It’s remarkable, sure, but it’s just genetics. All people in this world have traits from their parents, that’s just the nature of DNA, and only so many combinations of genes can exist, even if there are many. At some point, similar combinations--unrelated to each other--begin to emerge. It’s just math. 

She’s somewhat echoing her speech at the start of Episode 1, and her repetition of the speech to Nora at the end of Episode 3: how atoms can only arrange themselves in so many ways. 

**Casca:** But that’s not this, and you know that. Those people look similar because of chance, but they lived different lives. But you and I...we lived the same life, didn’t we?

**Cassandra:** I can explain. 

Casca crosses her arms, unconvinced at whatever’s about to come out of Cassandra’s mouth. 

**Cassandra** , treading the water of the conversation: You...you wouldn’t believe me if I said clones, would you?

Casca laughs at the absurdity of the situation. 

**Casca:** Absolutely not. Humans haven’t gotten their cloning technology honed to the point that we can make perfect replicas of humans. Besides, cloning wouldn’t carry over specific memories. I’m convinced there’s something else at work. 

**Cassandra:** What if the government was hiding the true nature of cloning technology from the public?

**Casca:** Then it’d be pretty fucking stupid for you to blurt that out, now wouldn’t it? This isn’t a science fiction book. 

**Cassandra:** Yet I presume your explanation is something very akin to science fiction, isn’t it?

Cassandra shoots Casca a sly smile. Casca keeps a straight face. Actually, her frown slightly deepens. 

**Casca:** Clones aren’t it. That’s dumb. 

**Cassandra:** You have something else in mind? 

**Casca:** The multiverse. The idea that many universes exist outside of our own, with varying differences and similarities between multiple versions of the same people, locations or things. 

**Cassandra:** You sure seem to know what you’re talking about. 

Cassandra shoots a look out the window to Lorenzo and Jeanne, but Casca snaps her fingers twice. 

**Casca:** Hey, dumbass, pay attention to me, huh? You already knew what I was going to say. 

**Cassandra:** No, I wasn’t. Anything could’ve come out of your mouth. 

Casca looks back at Cassandra as she says this. Casca smiles as she turns to face the wall. 

**Casca:** Lie. 

**Cassandra:** What?

**Casca:** You heard me. “Lie.” You just lied to me, and have been for a while. You knew all about the multiverse, and you knew there were other versions of people you know, including yourself. 

Casca’s smile goes away. She starts to get dead serious, once more. 

**Casca:** Tell me everything you know about Kal Novell. 

**Cassandra:** He died in a car accident--

**Casca:** Lie!

**Cassandra:** No, it’s not!

Casca is more than angry at this point, and she’s *this* close to crossing the line into rage. 

**Casca:** Yes it  **is.** You know this.  **My** Kal died 18 months ago, but yours is still walking around fine and good. You think we didn’t  **talk** about this! 

**Cassandra:** Who!? Who did you talk to?

**Casca:** My  **mother.** Put yourself in my mother’s shoes. She witnesses a massive car accident, finds a girl that looks like her daughter, takes her to the hospital. Girl addresses her as “mom,” there’s no reason to doubt her identity, but she starts making shit up, remembering things wrong. 

Casca’s leaning in at this point, her voice growing more and more intense. 

**Casca:** Cassandra, I was in a car accident over a year ago, and I lost my brother. I went to therapy. I’m still  **in** therapy, and here you were, looking exactly like me and spouting nonsense. You think my mother wasn’t worried? You think she wasn’t terrified? For god’s sake, she might’ve thought you had brain damage from the accident, or a mental break. So when she saw me--the real me--a few minutes ago, she told me everything you said. Every. Single. Thing. 

**Cassandra:** What do you want me to say?

**Casca:** Tell me I’m right. 

**Cassandra:** W-what?

Cassandra seems almost scared by how her other self is acting. 

**Casca:** Tell. Me. I’m. Right. 

**Cassandra:** About what?

**Casca: Everything.** Other universes, there being another Kal out there who’s alive and well, just  **tell me.**

Cassandra’s taken aback by the raw emotion and intensity of her words. She can’t bring herself to lie. Casca seems like she’s about to snap, or cry, or do  **something.**

**Cassandra:** Fine, if it calms you down. *Clears throat.* There are other universes, and other versions of the same people you know, so even though your brother died in an accident, I have the same brother and he’s still alive. Happy?

Casca’s entire posture shifts. She starts to smile again. 

**Casca** , grinning: Ecstatic. Now, was that so hard?

**Cassandra:** What do you mean?

**Casca:** Telling the truth. 

**Cassandra:** Wait, how do you know? That I was telling the truth, I mean. 

**Casca:** A few months after the accident, Nora told me. I have a tell. 

**Cassandra:** A what?

**Casca:** A tell. When I lie while maintaining eye contact, I blink once. This was the first time you’ve given me a straight answer that wasn’t bull, and I know because you started me down and kept a straight face without blinking. Now, accept the fact that I know, and start talking. 

Cassandra sighs. She doesn’t like being put on the spot, much like Casca, but it’s clear that she has no choice. 

**Cassandra:** In my universe, my brother got into a small car accident--a year ago, like you said--but he never died. He wasn’t hurt at all, really. 

**Casca:** How’d you get here?

**Cassandra:** In my universe, my brother has an internship at a lab. Costas Technologies. I drove there and was visiting with him, when the portal activated. 

**Casca:** Portal? 

**Cassandra:** Next thing I knew, I was in an alleyway, all scraped up and crying. 

**Casca:** Why didn’t you say anything at first?

**Cassandra:** My memory was all...fuzzy for a while. It wasn’t until my mom--or, rather, your mom--started freaking out that I knew the truth. Up until that point, I thought I just drove home and got in some wreck, and the reason I couldn’t even remember leaving the lab was because I hit my head. Now I know the truth. 

**Casca:** Wait, what portal? 

**Cassandra:** Remember when you told me not to make up some shit that sounded like it was out of a sci-fi novel? Well, I might have to break that rule for a bit. 

INSIDE, THE COSTAS HOUSEHOLD

Pyrrha is crying in the arms of her father, Silas. She has her face buried on his shoulder, as the two sit on the couch. 

**Silas:** It’s alright dear, it was just a dream. 

**Pyrrha:** It wasn’t! It felt so real!

She can’t explain the truth to her father, that she briefly visited an entirely separate universe. All she can do is lie. The truth can never come out. 

**Silas:** It was, darling. 

He sounds weary, tired. This is just as emotionally taxing for him as it is for her; to hear about his daughter “visiting” his late wife. He has a strange, unreadable look on his face: a combination of sadness, empathy and envy. 

As Pyrrha is in her father’s arms, she stops crying for a second, wiping the tears off her face. A moment goes by, then another, as she gains her composure and plans what to say. 

**Pyrrha:** Father?

**Silas:** Yes?

**Pyrrha:** I have something I wanted to ask you. It’s unrelated, but still important. 

She pulled away from her father. He looked concerned, worried about what might come out of her mouth next. 

**Pyrrha:** There’s no easy way to say this, but...well, I found some pills in your coat pocket. Green and small. 

Silas hesitates for a second. He’s caught off guard, and for a moment he carries a completely blank expression, but he lands on his feet and comes up with a quick excuse. 

**Silas:** Ah, yes! No need to worry. I’ve always struggled with nausea, and for the last couple of weeks it’s been especially bad. I didn’t want to have it affect my work, so my doctor gave these to me…

He trails off, and looks into his daughter’s wide, innocent eyes. He doesn’t want to lie to her. He can’t. He doesn’t have it in him. 

Silas sighs, and pinches the bridge of his nose. His tone changes, his entire demeanor changes. 

In the background of the shot, we can briefly see two shadows--people dressed in all black--moving quickly around the perimeter of the house. It’s a split-second, and they’re gone the moment they arrive on screen. 

**Silas:** Ok, you’re right dear. I’m sorry, that’s not it. 

He looks her in the eye. He’s wanted to badly to tell her the truth, and he’s not supposed to, but he can’t hold off any longer. 

**Silas:** It’s time I tell you what we’ve been really doing in that lab of mine. 

We briefly see another person, hidden in the bushes, on the other side of the window next to the front door. 

**Silas:** It’s connected to this dream of mine...and your mother. 

Suddenly, he becomes aware of footsteps. They become audible, at first a gentle tap of boots on the outside ground, then more and more, until it sounds like a small army assembling around the perimeter of the house. 

**Silas:** No...no, no, NO, NO!

**Pyrrha:** Father? What is it? What about mother!?

**Silas:** Pyrrha! Listen closely to me!

We hear glass shatter in an adjacent room; it must be one of their bedrooms. The footsteps grow louder. The people are inside. 

**Silas:** Go downstairs to the basement, behind all my boxes and my drawers. There’s a small handle; open it, and it’ll lead to a safe room. Hide in there until you can’t hear anything, even me. I’ll come get you once this is over. 

**Pyrrha:** But--

**Silas:** GO!

He practically pushes her off of him, and with immense reluctance she starts sprinting to the stairs leading down. She gives one quick glance at her father, and he gestures her away, just as the front door bursts open. Silas accepts his fate. 

This is THE OUTLET, a team of mercenaries and black-ops agents dedicated to keeping the multiverse a secret. And right now, they’ve targeted Silas. 

Pyrrha rushes downstairs, careful to not make a sound. She finds one of the boxes, the one with the picture of Kal. She moves it, as she hears the sound of indistinct shouting and glass breaking upstairs. 

Panicking, and struggling to find the handle, she looks behind her. She hears footsteps, louder and louder and LOUDER. A SOLDIER is approaching the stairs to the basement. Noticeably, she can no longer hear the voice of her father. 

Finally, she finds it: a hidden handle of dark wood. She twists it, and a small safe room opens, just big enough for Pyrrha, if she curls up into a ball. She goes into the fetal position, and crawls into the tiny safe room, nearly hitting her head on the wall. She reaches her left arm out to put the box of pictures back into place and close the door. 

The soldier comes down. He is wearing a black bulletproof vest and helmet that obscures most of his face; all we can really see is his chin and part of his jaw. He has a handgun drawn and pointed. 

We SHIFT back to Pyrrha, in the room and crammed tightly, tears spilling off her face and just barely visible. She can hear each step--each movement--of this intruder. 

Back to the soldier, his gun drawn. He cannot find anything of suspicion in the room, and we hear Silas upstairs, arguing with these men. He puts his gun back in the holster, but looks down in the corner, right in front of the small panic room. 

He sees the box, the lid slightly ajar, and the box slightly out of place compared to the rest. He kicks it back into place with the edge of his boot. 

Pyrrha is trembling with fear in the room; she can hear that he’s drawn closer and stopped. Is this it? Is she going to die? She tries with every fiber of her being to remain silent. 

One second passes, then two. Then five. 

And then the soldier leaves, going back up the stairs to where he came. Once he reaches the top, Pyrrha breathes again. 

CUT, INSIDE THE DRESDEN HOUSEHOLD

Kai, Lia, Hazel and Rin all sit on the couch, looking quite shaken. Rin has an ice pack held to Kai’s face. 

Lia is untying the bounds on Faithe and Theo. Hazel looks like she’s going to cry. Her phone is in her hands, trembling. 

**Kai:** What the fuck happened?

Rin shrugs without saying a word. Lia is still breathing heavy, the baseball bat less than an arm’s length away from her. She still seems scared, afraid of what’s yet to come. 

**Lia:** I don’t know. 

**Kai:** Who were those people?

**Lia:** I don’t know. 

**Kai:** They weren’t our parents for sure. 

**Hazel:** What gave it away? The fact that they tried to kill us, or the fact that our real parents are bound and gagged in the other room?

**Kai:** I mean...either seems like pretty good evidence, don’t ya think?

**Lia:** Guys, now’s really not the time for snarky one-liners. We need to think. 

**Kai:** About what?

**Lia:** A lot! Who were those people? That question comes to mind immediately, but there are some more pressing concerns that we need to settle. When they knocked Hazel out, they used chloroform, but the fake me opted to just hit Kai in the head. 

**Kai:** They got me pretty good. 

**Lia:** Mom and dad didn’t have any head injuries, and neither did Faithe or Theo. That’s good. So we can assume that they just used chloroform on them. No need to deal with a possibility of brain damage. But what do we tell them? And where did the fake Faithe and fake Theo go? 

**Rin:** They left after they knocked us out. 

**Lia** , turning to Rin: Did you see them?

**Rin:** No, I assume so. 

The camera shifts, and we see that the fake Lia, fake Bella, and fake Tobi all tied up and unconscious themselves, all put together in the kitchen area. 

**Kai:** We never saw another me, did we?

**Lia:** You tell us, you were the one that saw the closet where they kept everyone. 

**Kai:** I don’t know, I got beaned in the head!

Kai thinks about it for a moment, and starts to do a mental headcount. 

**Rin:** There was never another you, was there?

**Kai:** No. Why the hell not? What the hell is going on? 

**Hazel:** Why would a doppelganger version of our family try to kill us? 

**Lia:** I don’t know. But we have to somehow keep this a secret. 

The three teenagers all look at her in shock. 

**Hazel:** Why?

**Kai:** Also, how? 

**Lia:** I don’t know how, and I’m tired of saying that. But we have to keep this under wraps. Because it’s gonna look like our family just assaulted us, or we assaulted them, depending on how things were seen. I don’t need CPS being called while I’m going to med school. 

**Hazel:** But what about the people that look exactly like you and your parents?

Rin starts to take the ice pack off Kai’s face, and he pipes up. 

**Rin:** We don’t know how to explain that. Worst case scenario, they take both sets of parents away for questioning, your family is split up, Hazel’s parents might press charges, and I get sent home. 

Lia walks over to Rin and puts a hand on his shoulder, turning to Hazel. 

**Lia:** He’s right. As far as the police are concerned, it might just as easily look like we have a couple sets of twins in our family that we just assaulted. 

Hazel puts her phone down, discouraged. 

**Hazel:** Shit, I didn’t even think of that. 

**Kai:** Besides, I bet any cops around are up to their eyeballs in calls and reports because of that blackout. 

**Lia:** It’s gotta be just a coincidence that this family impersonated ours right as the blackout started, right?

**Kai:** Maybe. Who knows. Maybe they’re aliens, or shapeshifting demons, or magicians who’re trying to assassinate Ronald McDonald. The point is, we have no answers and no way to get answers. 

**Hazel:** Besides just asking them, of course. 

**Lia:** Which we’ll do when we’re conscious. Kai, can I take a look at your head?

She grabs an emergency kit, a cotton ball and some rubbing alcohol. She gently pours some of the alcohol onto the cotton ball and begins dabbing at the wound. He winces everytime, gripping the sides of the couch. 

**Lia:** Stay still, or else we’ll have to go to a hospital. 

**Kai:** Can we do that? I mean, if there have been a bunch of accidents, nobody would suspect it, right?

**Lia:** Maybe, maybe not. Someone might realize you were attacked, then the cops would get involved. And like I said, we have no idea where that’s gonna go. 

As Lia starts to bandage him up, Kai reaches for his phone and dials Casca’s number. It goes to voicemail immediately. 

**Lia** , hissing: What’re you doing?! Don’t tell her!

**Kai:** I won’t, I promise!

CUT, INSIDE OF CASSANDRA’S ROOM, THE HOSPITAL

Back at the hospital, Casca is still sitting on the edge of Cassandra’s bed. It seems only a minute or two has passed since they spoke at the beginning of the episode. Casca takes her ringing phone out of her pocket, and briefly examines the name on it: Kai Dresden.

**Cassandra:** Who’s that?

Casca nonchalantly flips it on silent and puts the phone back in her pocket. 

**Casca:** Don’t worry about it. 

CUT, BACK AT THE DRESDEN FAMILY LIVING ROOM

**Casca’s Voice,** on voicemail: Hi, this is Casca Novell. Sorry I can’t come to you, leave a message after the beep. * _ BEEP* _

**Kai** , leaving a message: Hi, I was wondering how you’re holding up. Call me back. 

He hangs up his phone. Hazel raises an eyebrow. 

**Hazel:** Really? She lives next door, and you called her, instead of just dropping by or texting her, and left a voicemail. Don’t you think that’s a bit suspicious?

**Kai:** I really need to know how she is. I bet she’s not taking this well. 

**Lia:** Your head nearly got busted open, and you’re worried about her? Good grief. 

Rin stands up from his spot on the couch. He walks over to the hallway, stepping over some of the evidence of their fight (the knife fake Tobi used, the ropes used to bind him, the chloroform rag, etc.) and walks into the bathroom. 

INSIDE, THE DRESDEN BATHROOM

Closing the door behind him, Rin examines his face in the mirror. He doesn’t have anything in his appearance that is out of the ordinary--or, at least, nothing to indicate he’d nearly been killed. 

Running a hand through his hair, he looks at his reflection, and speaks without an accent, in perfect English. 

**Rin:** I’m so tired of this. 

He gives no further elaboration. It’s not that his English has been getting better; he’s been faking a Japanese accent everytime he’s spoken. 

CUT, BACK INSIDE CASSANDRA’S HOSPITAL ROOM, THE HOSPITAL

Casca has stood up, and is pacing around the room, scratching her head. We can see Lorenzo, somewhat out of focus and partially out of frame, in the background through the window. 

**Casca:** Let me get this straight. Once you were brought to this earth, you were awake for only a couple of seconds, scraped and cut up to hell, and then passed out?

**Cassandra:** For the fourth time, yes! Why is that significant?

**Casca:** Because I had a dream about that. 

**Cassandra:** What?

The camera angle shifts. Casca is in the foreground, a few feet away and looking past the camera at the wall. Cassandra is in the background, her and her bed out of focus. 

**Casca:** I’ve had them ever since my accident. They’re about cars and crashing and Kal. But he wasn’t in this one. At first, I thought it was just another nightmare, but I realized while you were talking: what you explained sounded like exactly what happened in my dream. 

**Cassandra:** What’re you talking about?

**Casca:** I think, in my dream, it’s like I was in your body for a second. Because we’re the same person and we look the same, but we’re from different worlds, we have some kind of a connection. 

**Cassandra:** ...the Many-Worlds Interpretation doesn’t account for this. 

**Casca:** No, but there’s never been a situation like this. Think back, before you visited your brother. Do you remember any weird dreams you might’ve had in the last couple of days? Or any that you had when you were unconscious on the ambulance ride over here?

**Cassandra:** No, none. I don’t remember anything about this ride over, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary beforehand. 

Casca puts her hand on her chin, thinking. 

**Casca:** Hm. You don’t suppose there’s anyone else that could’ve experienced this, do you? We need to test this hypothesis. 

**Cassandra:** How would I know if anyone experienced this? I haven’t even had that kind of out-of-body experience, only you have. 

**Casca:** I’ll ask Kai, maybe he or his family felt something like that. Same for Nora. 

**Cassandra:** Kai, that guy whose call you just ignored?

**Casca:** Yeah, why?

**Cassandra:** What’s his deal?

**Casca:** What do you mean? It’s not everyday I learn there are other universes, gimme some credit. 

Casca pulls her phone out and is about to dial it again, but before she can even turn it on, she stops. She looks at her reflection in the black screen, analyzing what she sees. She puts a strand of black hair between her two fingers, playing with it, examining it, before looking out at the window. 

**Casca:** Holy shit, I think we’re connected in more ways than just dreams. 

**Cassandra:** Wait, what?

Casca sat back down on the bed, now intensely close to her counterpart. 

**Casca:** I don’t think we’re connected in just my dreams. I think I’ve been seeing you for a while. 

Casca opens up her phone and finds the picture she showed Pyrrha and Mr. Mathus: the one of her double reflection from the window in her room. 

**Cassandra:** That’s me, isn’t it? 

Cassandra takes a lock of her own hair and fiddles with it, mirroring Casca’s gesture. 

**Cassandra:** Holy shit. 

Casca seems positively gleeful that she and her counterpart are finally on the same page. 

**Casca:** I know, right?

**Cassandra:** That was one of the first things your mom commented on. My hair. It looks longer in this photo, but you didn’t do that. That’s me, isn’t it?

**Casca:** It must be. 

The two look at each other for a moment, before both speaking in sync. 

**Casca** and  **Cassandra:** Wooooooah. 

Lorenzo enters the room, interrupting their moment of synchronization. 

**Lorenzo:** Casc--er, girls. There’s someone here who’d like to help you. 

A woman walks in: she’s about 5’10”, a redhead in a white lab coat with easy brown eyes. This woman is PETRA SEITZ. 

**Lorenzo:** Girls, Petra here was hoping to ask...er, Cassandra a couple of questions. 

Petra gives the two a small smile. 

**Petra:** Hello, Cass. Could I speak to you alone for a moment? 

Casca shoots her double a worried look, and reluctantly stands up and exits the room. Lorenzo drapes an arm around her, and walks out the door, with Petra standing against the wall and closing the door behind them. 

**Cassandra:** What’s going on?

**Petra:** Nothing to worry about, I’m just a psychiatrist working here. For any patients that have been in major accidents, we just have to do a quick check-up, to make sure they’re feeling well. Just a small test. 

Cassandra looks unsure, but doesn’t want to be difficult. She goes along with it. 

**Cassandra:** Ok, fire away. 

Petra takes a step forward, ready to begin. We hear the sound of an engine, and then...

CUT, THE HIGHWAY, NIGHT

The camera zooms in, and we see KORELL zipping through the night on the way home from Meadowdale University. He’s in a grey car with black rims, flying through down the road like a shadow. 

CUT, INSIDE OF KORELL’S CAR, NIGHT

We suddenly cut, and are inside of the car. It’s well-kept, with various files and folders stacked up in the passenger’s seat. As Korell is steering with his right hand, he reaches into his labcoat and pulls out his phone with his left hand. He immediately activates his phone and uses his voice-activated feature. 

**Korell:** Phone, call Silas. 

The phone dials, rings, rings, rings, and stops, before going to voicemail. 

**Silas,** over voicemail: Sorry I can’t talk, I’m busy right now. Leave me a message or call again soon. 

CUT, OUTSIDE OF THE COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, NIGHT

This is on the edge of the property of the Costas house. The shot is divided into three layers. In the foreground, we see a smartphone--that belonging to Silas Costas--ring, saying “Professor Korell” for the contact name. It rings, and then we hear a *click* and Korell leaves a message. 

**Korell** , in his voicemail **:** Costas, something’s happened. The machine went too far. We need you at the lab ASAP. I’m on my way. 

In the midground of the shot, we see the black-clad soldiers and mercenaries of THE OUTLET from earlier dragging a man dressed in white--SILAS COSTAS--across the yard. He’s struggling, but one of the soldiers punches him in the face, and he stops squirming, unconscious. 

In the background of the shot, there’s the Outlet’s van, which the soldiers are dragging the now-unconscious Silas to. It seems like it’s been only a couple of minutes since the scene earlier with him and Pyrrha. 

CUT, INSIDE OF KORELL’S CAR, NIGHT

Korell is frustrated and agitated that Silas isn’t picking up. He fears for the worst. 

**Korell:** Dammit!

He throws his phone in the other seat, and it bounces slightly. 

**Korell:** Not now, please. Not at a time like this. 

CUT, INSIDE OF THE SAFE ROOM, THE COSTAS BASEMENT, NIGHT

Pyrrha is curled up in a ball, her face against her knees. She slowly, cautiously turns her head to the left, back at the door. 

We cut, and she is now stepping out of the safe room. The basement is largely unkempt, except for one or two boxes that have been moved. It’s a rather bare-bones place to begin with. She listens, but cannot hear anyone, or anything. 

Nervously, cautiously, she takes a step forward to the stairs. 

CUT, THE STAIRCASE, THE COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, NIGHT

We hear the slow, deathly-quiet, almost nonexistent footsteps of Pyrrha ascending the stairs. She pokes her head up, and finds nothing. Once she reaches the top, she sees how thoroughly her house has been destroyed. 

Papers are scattered, sofas and pillows are ripped open. The shelves are all open, as is every door. Chairs are overturned, and every box or folder in sight is open. 

We are in a sort of mini-montage, with four shots, back-to-back. Each is a one-angle shot of Pyrrha entering a specific room of the house, calling her father, witnessing the carnage, becoming more frantic. 

**Pyrrha** , entering the master bedroom: Father?

The blankets and pillows were all taken off, and the mattress was taken partially off the frame. The closet door and dresser drawers are all open, their contents scattered. 

**Pyrrha** , entering her bedroom: Father?

The same sight: chaos and disorder and everything scattered everywhere. 

**Pyrrha,** entering the bathroom: FATHER!?

By this point, she is now terrified. Her voice is breaking, and she’s becoming more and more and more agitated, nearly on the verge of tears. 

**Pyrrha,** entering the garage: DAD!!?

By this point, the tears are streaming down her face, full-force. She holds a hand over her open mouth, and she sobs. She doesn’t care if she’s caught. Her life is in shambles. The car doors, including the trunk, are all open; the contents scattered every which way. 

Pyrrha wipes the tears from her face, and goes back into the kitchen. Her laptop has been thrown to the floor and is shattered, her laptop charger nearby. Her phone is thrown to the ground, along much of the silverware taken out of their dish drawers, but the phone is only cracked. She gently picks it up and turns it on; the screen lights up, her lock screen an old picture of her, her mother and father. The time reads: 1:30 am. 

She dials 911 on her phone. From there, the perspective shifts. We see Pyrrha gathering files, folders, papers and anything belonging to or from her father that seems to be of value. She also goes back downstairs, and finds the box of pictures that her father had, including the one of him, Korell, Staples and Kal. 

As we’re seeing all of this, the audio is of her phone-call with 911, beginning with the ringing of the phone. 

**Pyrrha:** 911? Something terrible has happened. 

On the other end, we have a familiar voice. It’s James, talking once more. 

**James:** Ma’am, what happened. Do you need me to send an ambulance? 

**Pyrrha:** No, a police car. 

**James:** Ma’am?

**Pyrrha:** Some men came into my house, and took my father. There’s a lot of broken stuff, broken glass everywhere. 

**James:** There was a break-in?

**Pyrrha:** And a kidnapping. They took my father. I’m home alone now. I found some pills in his coat the other day, some kind of drug, I think he may have been involved with some bad people. 

**James:** Ok, ma’am. We’re on our way, I’m sending two officers over there right now. 

**Pyrrha:** Thank you. I live at…

Her voice starts to trail off. We see Pyrrha, gathering all of this stuff together, and waiting for the officers to arrive. She starts sobbing once more, barely able to breathe from crying so hard. She’s gone through what no child should, and she’s completely lost. 

We see a comforting, familiar red and blue light shining on her face. While the camera is focused on her, and we cannot see the car, we know: the police are here. 

CUT, INSIDE THE DRESDEN HOUSEHOLD, NIGHT

It is pitch-black. But we hear breathing, and indistinct murming. Similar to how Episode 3 began, we are in a first person POV, this time of the FAKE TOBI. He blinks once, then twice, then opens his eyes. After a second, the figures in front of him come into focus: Kai and Lia. 

**Lia:** Oh, good. You’re finally awake. 

We shift out of the first person POV, and back to a normal angle. Hazel and Rin are sitting on the kitchen table, with Lia standing up and holding the baseball bat over her parents’ doppelgangers. Kai is standing on the edge of the room, next to the front door. 

Fake Tobi says nothing. He has a busted lip and a black eye, and gives his “daughter” a royally pissed-off look. 

**Lia:** You’re not gonna talk? Good, I’ll start. 

**Fake Tobi:** Where’s Kai?

**Lia:** Not relevant. First of all, why do you look like my father? And why does she look like my mother?

**Fake Tobi:** You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. 

**Lia:** Yeah? Try me. 

We hear another groan, and Fake Bella starts to regain consciousness. 

**Fake Bella:** Honey?

**Fake Tobi:** The jig is up, hon. The Outlet found us. 

Bella curses under her breath. Lia furrows her brow.

**Lia:** This is what I’m talking about. What the hell is the Outlet? What kind of X-Files, Doctor Who bullshit have you dragged us into?

**Fake Tobi:** Quit playing dumb and just kill us already. 

**Fake Bella:** Hon, they’re not part of the Outlet. But give us a few minutes before they find us and it won’t matter. 

Lia looks furious. Both of these people have been ignoring her questions for the entire time, and she snaps, slamming the bat into the ground in front of her “father”, before screaming at the two of them. 

**Lia:** WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE!?

A beat. The two doppelgangers seem genuinely stunned. 

**Fake Bella:** You really don’t know, do you?

**Fake Tobi:** We’re from another universe, Lia. 

**Lia:** I...what?

Kai and Hazel both perk up, but Rin just gives a pensive, almost annoyed look. Fake Tobi looks to Rin. 

**Fake Tobi:** Hope I hid my surprise well when we first met, but who the hell are you?

**Rin:** Doesn’t matter. 

**Fake Tobi:** No, it does. 

**Lia:** Wait, wait, hold up: you expect us to believe this bullshit. 

**Kai:** Lia--

**Lia,** interrupting him: No, no, I’m not listening to this. Don’t give us some more vague nonsense. This isn’t a YA novel, now give us a real answer, or I swear to god I will bring this bat onto your skull. 

**Fake Tobi:** You wouldn’t dare. Imagine trying to explain to the cops why you smashed your old man’s head in. 

**Lia:** For the record, my old man is in the other room, unconscious because you poisoned him. 

Now, the fake Lia starts to awaken as well. She lets out a small groan. 

**Fake Tobi:** Lia, are you ok?

Lia lets out another groan, a mix of pain and frustration. 

**Fake Lia:** Shit. Pops, we got caught. 

**Fake Bella:** Quiet, honey. 

**Lia:** Give us a real answer!

She holds the bat up. She’s not actually going to strike, just trying to fake them out into a real answer. Hazel doesn’t realize, however. She rises from her seat and holds Lia’s arm in place, preventing her from bringing the bat down. 

**Hazel:** Lia, don’t!

CUT, ON A NEARBY ROOF, NIGHT

We see the entire scene play out through a window and from the perspective of an OUTLET SNIPER. He’s dressed the same as those that stormed Pyrrha’s home: black bulletproof vests, black boots, a helmet obscuring his face, but this time with a sniper rifle. He’s watching it through a sniper scope, but the perspective quickly shifts back to…

CUT, DRESDEN APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM, NIGHT

Kai is silent, his head bandaged. He leans against a wall, watching all of the arguing go on. His phone rings once more, and he picks it up. Without anyone even noticing, he checks the caller ID: Casca. 

His breath catches, and he answers the call. 

**Kai:** Casca?

**Casca:** Kai! Oh my god, the craziest shit is happening, but you still have the key to my apartment, right? Wait, are people yelling over there? Anyways, it doesn’t matter. I need you to find something for me. 

**Kai:** Wow, wow, wow, wow, slow down. It’s, like, 1 in the morning. Whatever it is, can’t it wait till the morning?

**Casca:** Absolutely not. 

CUT, HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM, NIGHT

Casca is standing several feet away from her parents and Peggy, with only Nora nearby. There are a variety of other people in the hallways, loved ones of those caught up in all the blackout car crashes and accidents. 

**Casca:** I need you to go into my room--you know the way of course--and get something for me. 

**Kai:** Wait, are you not in your house?

**Casca:** Nope. We’re at the hospital. I’ll explain why if you get it. 

**Kai:** Holy shit, what happened?

**Casca:** I just said, I’ll explain if you get something. 

Everyone is still in a shouting match, and now Rin has joined in. Kai reaches into his pocket and pulls out his keys, one of which is a bronze spare key to Casca’s house. He slowly, quietly opens the door to the apartment and walks out. Only Hazel notices, and it takes a second. 

**Hazel:** Wait...Kai?

CUT, APARTMENT FLOOR HALLWAY, NIGHT

Kai is putting the key into the door, twisting it and trying to open the entrance. 

**Kai:** Wait, no one is home!? Not even your dad?

**Casca:** Nope, he’s here with me. 

CUT, NOVELL APARTMENT, NIGHT

As she talks, the camera follows him in one long cut, through the living room and into her bedroom, where he starts fishing through her closet and dresser. 

**Casca:** I think I was right. No, wait, scratch that, I know I was right. 

**Kai:** Wait, what? Right about what?

**Casca:** The Many-Worlds Interpretation, the multiverse, parallel universes, alternate realities, whatever you wanna call them, I was right. 

**Kai:** Wait, what the hell are you talking about? Listen, I kinda have my own--

**Casca:** No, please, this is important! On my dresser there should be a stack of papers, towards the bottom, there should be a speech. It’s pretty dense, about 5 or 6 pages. 

CUT, INSIDE CASCA’S BEDROOM, NIGHT

Kai is sifting through all of the papers, when a lightbulb goes off over his head. 

**Kai:** Wait, is this…?

**Casca:** Yeah, it’s the speech I gave that night. 

He pulls the speech out from the stack of papers, some of them falling to the floor of the deserted apartment. He reads over the title in the dark: 

EXPLORING THE MULTIVERSE: IS THERE ANOTHER YOU OUT THERE?

**Kai:** Wait, Casca. This is why you’re at the hospital?

**Casca:** So, I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. 

He now turns around and walks through her bedroom, past the living room, through the apartment complex hallway, and back into his living room. Hazel is waiting for him. 

**Casca:** I think I might’ve found proof that there are other universes, but get this: it’s another me. 

**Kai:** What?

**Casca:** I know, right? I found someone who looks exactly like me. Same face, eyes, even the same goddamn fingerprints, which shouldn’t be possible, because not even twins have the same fingerprints. 

Kai slowly starts to dawn on the realization of his own situation. The parallels are uncanny. 

**Casca:** Anyways, she was found after one of those bad car accidents downtown. Before I even showed up, she started talking about Kal and mom and dad. And I had a dream last night that I was in her place, in one of those car accidents. So she has the same memories of me, but just a little different. Her name is Cassandra, and I think she might be the key to finding Kal…

CUT, INSIDE THE DRESDEN APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM, NIGHT 

She starts to trail off. Kai is now back in his own living room, watching the doppelgangers of his parents and older sister. The puzzle pieces are clicking in place. The phone slowly starts to drop from his ear. 

**Kai:** Lia, I think they’re telling the truth. 

The fighting stops, and everyone turns to face him, including Rin. 

**Lia:** Kai, don’t tell me you believe this bull--

**Kai:** They’re telling the truth. Casca was right all along. There are other universes out there, and they’re from one of them. 

CUT, OUTSIDE ON A NEARBY ROOF, NIGHT

The sniper takes aim. Fake Tobi is lining up perfectly with the center of his scope. We hear a beep; it’s a communicator that the sniper is using, in his ear. The sniper presses the button, and we hear a voice. 

**Constantine:** Do we have a confirmation?

The voice is that of CONSTANTINE NICHOLS, the LEADER OF THE OUTLET, and the expert on the multiverse. 

**Sniper:** Copy that, we have three more outliers. World of origin, unknown. 

**Constantine:** Do you have a clean shot?

**Sniper:** Yes, but there are other people there. 

**Constantine:** Doesn’t matter. Take the shot. 

**Sniper:** But, sir--

**Constantine:** If they run, intercept them. If they hide, find them and take them out. We’ve got Costas, we don’t have any time to lose now. 

**Sniper:** Copy that. 

The sniper lines up the shot, readies his finger…

CUT, INSIDE THE DRESDEN APARTMENT, NIGHT

**Kai:** It explains everything!

**Lia:** No, it doesn’t! Casca isn’t exactly doing the best right now, how do we know what she’s saying is true!?

As she speaks, a red light about the size of a ladybug lines up with the forehead of Fake Tobi. Rin is the first to realize. 

**Rin:** Duck. 

He falls to the ground, grabbing Hazel and Lia with each arm and taking them with him. 

BANG. 

Suddenly, Fake Tobi is SHOT IN THE HEAD. Blood squirts out, onto his crying wife and daughter. The sniper immediately takes aim and shoots both of them as well. All three slump over, dead. Kai falls to the ground, covering his ears. Glass is shattering. Hazel, Kai and Lia are screaming. 

Rin crawls low to the ground away from the line of fire. 

CUT, NEARBY ROOFTOP, NIGHT

Once again, we are looking at the sniper, who unloads the shell of the latest and third rifle. 

**Constantine:** Did you eliminate them?

**Sniper:** Copy. Working on the loose ends now. Over and out. 

CUT, INSIDE THE DRESDEN APARTMENT, NIGHT

Rin is now gesturing for the other two to come over. All three crawl over to Kai, who himself is beginning to run out the door. 

**Rin:** Come on!

He grabs the family car keys off the nearby rack. Lia, Rin, Kai and Hazel all run out the door, Kai still carrying the manuscript for Casca’s speech. 

CUT, OUTSIDE THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, NIGHT

We cut and it is now moments later. The quartet is running out the door. Rin throws the keys to Lia. Both have dark blood splattered on their jackets. Lia unlocks the car door. Neighbors are coming out of their houses, wondering what the ruckus is. The quartet jumps in the car and peels away, leaving tire tracks behind. 

CUT, NEARBY ROOFTOP, NIGHT

The sniper is taking aim, trying to rapidly realign his scope with the car. For a split second, he has a good aim on Lia, and readying his finger around the trigger...

And then Lia makes a hard right. We hear a loud BANG, and the shell comes out, but the shot misses. The quartet gets away. 

**Sniper:** Squad B, please intercept a vehicle on King Street. It’s a blue minivan with four passengers, loose ends from this job. Over and out. 

  
  


We cut to the title card. THE END.    
  
  



	5. Episode 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pyrrha and the police officers are intercepted, and Cassandra faces a new danger.

CUT, INSIDE OF CASSANDRA’S HOSPITAL ROOM

Petra is quizzing Cassandra. They are basic questions, often used for concussion patients. 

**Petra:** Name as many letters as you can starting with the letter F within the minute. 

**Cassandra:** Uh, family. Friends. Food. Fabulous…

She starts to trail off, and Petra turns around. She puts her clipboard down and grabs a cup of water. With her back turned to Cass, she slips a small quantity of white powder into the drink. As she turns back, Cassandra is still saying words beginning with F; Petra is holding the drink in her hand. 

**Cassandra:** ...fix. Femur. Focaccia. 

Petra looks at the clock on the wall. The minute is almost up. 

**Petra:** Aaaaand, time. 

She gives Cassandra a warm smile. 

**Petra:** That was good. If I counted correctly, that was 27 words. 

She checks one final box off her clipboard, and hands Cassandra the cup of water. 

**Petra:** Thirsty?

Cass nods, and takes the glass, drinking it immediately. Petra gives another smile, this time slightly artificial. Borderline sinister. 

**Petra:** Ok, good job. How’re you feeling? Any pain, or discomfort?

CUT, KING ROAD, NIGHT

Hazel, Rin and Kai are all passengers as Lia is RACING DOWN THE ROAD at TOP SPEED. 

**Lia:** Where the hell are we supposed to go? 

**Kai:** Casca. We have to go to Casca. 

**Hazel:** Kai, you’re crazy. We gotta report this to the police--

**Kai:** So they see our parents, dead and tied up in our house, with our fingerprints all over them.

Neither Hazel nor Lia had considered the fingerprints angle. Lia honks her horn and practically screams. 

**Lia:** SHIT!

Kai looks down at the manuscript for Casca’s speech. He runs his hands over the title. This entire situation is moving far too fast for his comfort. His fingers have drops of blood on them, from being so close to the doppelgangers as they were shot. He’s breathing fast, borderline panicking. 

Rin puts a hand on Kai’s arm, a gentle, silent gesture of comfort. 

**Rin:** Hey. Everything is going to be ok. 

Kai nods in agreement. He hopes that Rin is right. 

**Lia:** Shit, we have nowhere else to go. 

**Kai:** Good, hospital it is. 

He looks out the window, seemingly pondering the events that led him to this situation, and how his best friend fits into everything. In the background of the shot, Rin looks somewhat worried. 

CUT, ON THE ROAD TO THE POLICE STATION, NIGHT

We see Pyrrha in the backseat of the police car. The two cops in the front are asking her questions as they drive her.

**Officer 1** : Ma’am, are you hurt at all?

**Pyrrha:** No, sir. 

**Officer 2:** Do you know how many people broke into your house. 

**Pyrrha:** I’m not sure, sir. But it was a lot. I think it was. 

As she answers each question, she looks at the picture in her hand that she took from her basement. The one of Kal, Silas, Staples and Korell. She runs her hand over her father’s part of the picture. In the photo, he is wearing a golden necklace around his neck, with a key on the end. 

In the background of the shot, we see a large gray van slowly wind around the abandoned road, getting closer. 

**Officer 2:** Did you find anything of value was stolen?

**Pyrrha:** No, not to my know--

**Officer 1: OH SHIT--**

The van abruptly switches off its lights to hide its presence, and PLOWS into the cop car.

We see the screen shifting to black multiple times. Each time we shift back to normal, we hear the sound of glass cracking, metal crunching, and the cop car tumbling down a hill. 

For a few minutes, we have nothing but blackness. Then, we shift to Pyrrha, UPSIDE-DOWN. The car has been flipped on its back, and we zoom in on her face, a huge cut on her forehead, blood trickling down and falling onto the roof of the cop car. 

Footsteps approach, then the sound of a gun. There are two decisive shots to the cops by the soldiers, killing them instantly. Then, a hand reaches down and pulls Pyrrha out of the shattered window. 

She groans in pain as she is pulled out. Her consciousness fading quickly, she is pushed to the ground by one of the soldiers, who cocks his handgun and points it at her forehead. Pyrrha sounds weak and raspy, 

**Pyrrha** : ...please…

The soldier takes aim, his finger wrapping around the trigger…

And he stops. His earpiece starts beeping; he presses a finger to the button, and starts speaking. 

**Soldier 1:** Yes, sir?

Three other soldiers step out of the gray van and step into frame, each with their own guns drawn. The first soldier keeps his gun steady, still pointed at Pyrrha’s forehead. 

Once again, Constantine is speaking on the other end. 

**Constantine:** Let the girl live. Bring her to me. 

**Soldier:** Boss?

**Constantine:** If she really is Silas Costas’ daughter, we can use her as leverage. Plus, she’ll have inherited his vertigo. 

**Soldier:** Understood. Bringing her to Meadowdale right now. Be there soon. 

The soldier picks Pyrrha off the ground. She lets out another groan of pain, as he throws her over his shoulder and carries her away. The four soldiers all step out of frame, the sound of pieces of glass cracking underneath their boots. 

As they walk away, we hear the sound of beeping. It grows more and more rapid, faster and faster and…

CUT, INSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL HALLWAY

That sound is CASSANDRA FLATLINING. She is being rushed out of her room and into the operating room by a number of nurses and doctors, including Petra. Casca, Lorenzo and Jeanne are all running after her. Casca is panicking, borderline terrified for her sake, and shouting at Petra as they run down the stairs. 

**Casca:** What’s going on? What’s happening?!

**Petra:** I’m not sure. Just a second ago, she was doing fine. But all of a sudden she started flatlining. 

One of the nurses speaks up, turning to Casca from the other side of the bed as they wheel Cassandra away. 

**Nurse 1:** We’re gonna have to rush her into emergency surgery. 

They rush into an adjacent hallway, but Jeanne holds her back. 

**Jeanne:** Casca, wait! This part of the hospital is only for immediate family of patients. 

**Casca:** But, we are her family...right?

**Jeanne:** No, honey. No we’re not. 

Lorenzo and Peggy both start to catch up with Casca, who starts to bawl again. Lorenzo pulls her into a hug, and she buries herself in Cassandra’s chest. 

CUT, INTO THE EMERGENCY SURGERY AREA, THE HOSPITAL

Petra and the others wheel Cassandra over to the room...and immediately go past it. They all take their surgery masks off. Petra immediately shifts her tone of voice. She sounds colder, more calculated. They’re still wheeling her fast, but they’re not full-on sprinting anymore. They quickly unplug her life support machines; they were just decoys, to throw the Novell family off their trail. 

**Petra:** What’s her status?

**Nurse 1:** She’ll wake up in a few minutes. We’ll have her on the way to the boss by then. 

**Petra:** Perfect. Make sure there are no distractions. 

Whatever Petra slipped into the water drugged Cassandra. She’s not flatlining at all, and she doesn’t need surgery, but she is unconscious. 

**Petra:** Load her into the truck. 

She turns to one of the other nurses, who’s taking off his mask. The hallway is crowded with other nurses, but Petra and her comrades are simply hiding in plain sight. Amongst the sounds of other patients flatlining, surgeons shouting at one-another and machines whirring, they’re barely even noticed. 

**Nurse 2:** We should have body bags nearby, we’ll put her in one and impersonate the morgue driver. 

**Petra:** Perfect. Meet me back here in 5. I’ll talk to the family. 

Another nurse, separate from the original crowd, runs in. She’s wearing slacks, unlike the blue surgical clothes of the rest, but upon speaking with the rest it’s clear she’s affiliated with them. 

**Nurse 3:** The boss just contacted us. Sounds like we have company coming. 

**Petra:** Oh? Another distraction. 

**Nurse 3:** Yeah, a loose end from another mission. 

**Petra:** Why come here and not go to the police?

**Nurse 3:** Not sure. They might have some business with this girl. 

All parties present nod in agreement. The initial nurses that came with Cassandra wheel her off to the elevator, and the third nurse departs in the direction she came from. 

CUT, THE HOSPITAL PARKING LOT, NIGHT

Lia makes a sharp left turn into the parking lot, as she talks with Kai. 

**Lia:** Who was that guy that shot at us?

**Kai:** How are we supposed to know?

**Hazel:** I can’t believe we made it out of there alive, my parents must be worried sick. 

**Rin:** How do you know they were shooting at us?

**Kai:** Yeah, they shot fake mom and dad. And you. 

**Lia:** Seeing my identical twin die in front of me was not how I intended to spend my night. 

**Kai:** Or, morning, I guess. Whatever. It’s almost 2. 

**Hazel:** Maybe calling the cops would be a good idea…

**Lia:** Yeah, if we wanna get arrested. 

**Kai:** Plus, Casca’s gotta have answers, right?

Lia’s starting to sound annoyed that he’s so insistent on this. 

**Lia:** You tell me, genius. You’re the one putting your absolute faith in her. 

**Hazel:** Yeah, how do you know what she’s saying is true? This is all a total gamble. 

**Kai:** Hey, we nearly got killed by a sniper. I’m open to any other ideas on where to go. 

Silence. 

Lia drives her car down the rows and rows of over vehicles in the upper parking lot of the hospital. She’s in the driver's seat, Hazel is in the passenger seat, Kai is in the back-right seat, and Rin is in the back-left seat. Lia brought the baseball bat, which sits between Kai and Rin in the back seat. 

The parking lot is completely packed, what with all the accidents that’ve been happening with the blackout. 

**Hazel:** There! 

Hazel points out the window at a nearby empty spot. Lia jerks the wheel to the right with both hands and goes in, hitting the front wheels on the curb as she does so. Rin barely has enough room to get out on his side, so he gets out on Kai’s side. 

The four start running over to the hospital entrance. Rin slows down behind the rest of the gang. He pauses and reaches into his pocket, pulling out the knife that Fake Lia tried to use on him and Lia. 

**Rin** , whispering to himself **:** Just in case. 

Kai notices Rin’s slowness, and turns back to face him, but doesn’t see the knife. 

**Kai** , shouting: Rin, come on!

**Rin:** I am coming!

Rin puts it back in his pocket, and runs after the group. 

CUT, INSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL, RECEPTION ROOM, NIGHT

The quartet run inside, and find that it’s a madhouse. To their right, there’s an absolutely packed cafeteria. Dead ahead of them, there’s a row of elevators, each with people in them. To their left, there are dozens of loved ones in the ER waiting room. Between the elevators and waiting room, there’s a small receptionist. It’s the one from earlier, who talked to Peggy. 

**Receptionist:** Name?

There’s a moment where the four all look at each other briefly. Kai is the first to speak up. 

**Kai:** Uh, Cass--no, Casca. Casca Novell. 

The receptionist raises an eyebrow, and is about to point down one of the hallways when the elevator opens. And inside it...is Casca. 

**Kai:** Casca!

Behind her is Peggy, Lorenzo and Jeanne. Kai runs forward and nearly tackles Casca off her feet in a hug. She hesitates for a moment, before embracing him. She allows herself to open up, in this moment of despair. 

Lia runs over and gives Casca a hug as well, the two Dresden siblings encompassing her in warmth and comfort. Rin and Hazel stay off to the side, unsure of how to react. 

Behind them, Lorenzo and Jeanne talk to Peggy. 

**Jeanne:** Margaret, I’m so sorry to get you involved in this roller coaster of a night. 

**Peggy:** Don’t worry about it. I’m just gonna try to drive home and get some rest, I suggest you both do the same. You look like death. 

**Jeanne:** No, that’s just my normal look. 

**Lorenzo:** Seriously, Peggy, we can’t thank you enough. We’ll keep you updated on the condition of...Cassandra. 

**Peggy:** Yes, please do. I’m...curious as to how this is going to unfold. Will you two be staying for the surgery?

**Jeanne:** I think we better. She doesn’t have school tomorrow, so she’ll want to, and I don’t think she’s in any position to drive herself home. 

**Peggy:** Well, I understand. 

She walks over to Casca, and wraps the girl in a hug, resting her chin atop Casca’s head. 

**Peggy:** Dear, please do get some rest and tell me how things are. 

**Casca:** I will. 

**Peggy:** And take care of yourself. 

**Casca:** I will. 

The way Peggy talks to Casca is sweet, gentle, soft. Almost grandmotherly. Like Casca is one of her own children, not just a patient of hers. 

CUT, INSIDE OF THE COSTAS CHILDHOOD HOME, DAY (?)

We are back to the version of the Costas childhood home Pyrrha hallucinated in chapter 3. Once again, the paint on the outside is purple, signalling that this is in fact different from what she experienced in prior “episodes”, and is distinct from the childhood home in Pyrrha’s universe. 

Also like last time, she first arrives in front of the home. The wind is gentle and soft, the sky is clear and blue, and we can hear sounds of the ocean. And once again, she seems to physically teleport in front of the house. 

But this time, SHE looks different, the same as she did when she was dragged out of the police car by the Outlet soldiers. Her face is scraped up; she has a cut on her forehead that’s spilling blood onto her cheeks, eyes and nose. Her ponytail is undone, her hair falling loose over her soldiers, dirty with mud and dried blood and bits of glass. Her shirt is scraped up and dirty as well, and when she puts a hand onto her face to feel the cuts, we see the accident tore some of the skin off her knuckles as well. 

She takes her hand off her face, closes her eyes, and tries to focus. 

**Pyrrha** , to herself: Breath, in…

She teleports to the other side of the door. She is inside the house now. 

**Pyrrha:** Breath, out…

She looks around, examining the wooden counters. She can hear the sounds of her, as a child, playing outside, same as last time. To her left is a staircase, the steps wide and thick slabs of light wood. To her right is a study, the door slightly ajar, revealing a computer monitor that’s turned off and a stack of books. This is the study of her father. Straight in front of her is a kitchen. 

But this time, it’s different. The house feels...off. Something has changed since her last episode, since her last “visit” to this universe. 

**Pyrrha:** Breath in--

**Doris:** Pyrrha?

She opens her eyes. In front of her, she sees DORIS COSTAS, her late mother, in the kitchen, a few feet in front of her. Doris is a beautiful woman with the same fiery red hair as her daughter, but her caramel brown eyes are wide with shock. She’s washing dishes over the counter, but the second she sees her daughter--a decade older than she should be--she drops the plate in shock. 

**Pyrrha:** M-mom? 

**Doris:** Pyrrha, darling what’re you doing here?

As Doris talks, she walks forward to her daughter. Pyrrha starts to panic. She didn’t plan this, she’s completely unprepared for this. She doesn’t even know how she got here, or where she is in the real world--or if this even  **is** the real world. 

**Pyrrha:** Mom, I don’t under--

Doris holds a finger in front of her lips and shushes her daughter, putting one hand on her shoulders. 

**Doris:** Shhh, my darling, don’t speak. You can’t stay here. 

Pyrrha’s completely bewildered, taken aback by the statement. 

**Pyrrha:** Wait, what? I don’t even know where I am!

**Doris:** It doesn’t matter, my star. You have to go back. 

**Pyrrha:** But I want to stay here! I miss you!

**Doris:** Honey, you can’t. You don’t belong here. 

**Pyrrha:** Th-then at least tell me what to do!

Doris puts both hands on Pyrrha’s shoulders, looking her daughter in the eye. Plastered on Doris’ face, she has more pride and love for her child than ever before. 

**Doris:** I already have, my star. You must go back. 

She starts to trail off. Pyrrha starts moving away, on her own. The door SWINGS open, and a force is pulling Pyrrha off of her mother. Doris’ voice is getting quieter, and quieter, and quieter...

**Doris:** ...go...back…

CUT, INSIDE OF MEADOWDALE’S LABORATORY, NIGHT

Suddenly, WE’RE BACK to the main universe. Pyrrha is breathing rapidly through her nose. At first, we only see her face from the nose up, a lock of hair draped over her scraped face. But as we start to zoom out…

We see that she’s BOUND AND GAGGED, tied to a metal chair. Next to her, we see SILAS COSTAS, bound and gagged as well, tied to an identical chair. 

Pyrrha’s eyes trace over her body, first. It’s cut and scraped, and the ropes are bruising her skin, but she’s still alive. Then, she examines her father. He’s awake, and looking at his daughter with wide eyes. He never wanted this for her, never in a million years. He tries to talk through the rag stuff in his mouth, but he can’t. It comes out as a muffled, jumbled mess. 

**Constantine:** I’m sorry dear, you must be in quite a bit of pain. 

The camera pans over, and we see CONSTANTINE. He’s standing in front of a MASSIVE PORTAL, glowing with bright blue energy, his back to her and Silas. His face is slightly turned, but from Pyrrha’s perspective, the light is still making it hard to see specific features, like his eyes, nose and mouth. The light casts a long shadow that comes in contact with Pyrrha herself. 

**Constantine:** Blame your father. He brought this on you both. 

He turns around, now facing Pyrrha and her father, and we now fully see his face. His eyes look cold, dead. His face is twisted into a deep scowl. He’s not enjoying what he’s doing, but he views it as necessary, a means to an end. 

**Constantine:** I promise, dear, this is for the betterment of everyone involved. 

CUT, INSIDE THE HOSPITAL, TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE BUILDING, NIGHT

We follow Peggy, as she is walking back to her car. She walks through the hallways, buzzing with patients and loved one’s and nurses alike. As she walks back to the main entrance, intending to leave and go home, she lets out a massive yawn. It’s far too late in the night for any of this. 

As she rubs sleep out of her eye, she catches sight of something odd. 

She walks past a nearby room at just the right angle. It’s completely dark inside, but the door is slightly ajar. Walking past it and turning her head right at the proper time reveals to Peggy the sight of a man inside, slumped over in his chair and almost falling out of it. 

She looks up at the door: SECURITY OFFICE. 

Curiosity getting the better of her, she looks left, then right. She takes a step forward and puts her hand on the handle, at first intending to just close the door, before she sees something odd. 

Out of frame, and out of her line of vision, the man was seemingly looking at the various monitors of the hospital, each corresponding to security cameras in different parts of the hospital: the surgeon’s room, the break room, the main entrance and, yes, even the outer parking lot. 

However, something odd is happening. The light from the monitors is reflecting on some kind of liquid. Peggy raises an eyebrow, and pokes her head inside…

BLOOD. Spilling out of a circular hole in the back of the man’s scalp, there’s significant blood and brain leakage onto the desk, some of which has even fallen onto the floor. That’s the liquid that was reflecting the light of the monitors. This man isn’t asleep: he was shot in the head.    
  


Peggy drops her bag, a hand covering her mouth. 

**Peggy:** Oh, my god. 

She seems almost paralyzed with fear and indecision. Every fiber of her being is screaming at her to turn around and run, get some help. Maybe this man can still be saved. But instead, she takes a single step forward, through the small gap in the door…

And is met with a dozen different monitors. Again, they are all corresponding to different security cameras and different sections of the hospital. One monitor in particular has blood splattered on it from the gunshot. Upon closer examination, a zoom-in of the camera and a slight change of focus reveals where this security camera is:

The Outer Parking Lot. Petra and all the other nurses that wheeled Cassandra into the emergency surgery room are instead loading her into this truck. Pretending to be morgue drivers, they’re trying to load the unconscious girl in a black body bag, but it’s unmistakably her. 

CUT, THE OUTER PARKING LOT, THE HOSPITAL, NIGHT

Following things from Cassandra’s perspective, we are her eyes. She blinks once, then twice. The drugs are starting to wear off. She gains consciousness, only for a second before falling back asleep, but it’s enough. 

What she sees is the elevator door open, and a guard step out of there. He’s wearing a blue button-down shirt with a radio on his front shirt pocket, his gun drawn. 

**Guard:** Everybody STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING!

He points the gun at Petra, who immediately puts her hands in the air. 

CUT, THE MAIN ENTRANCE, THE HOSPITAL, NIGHT

Casca is standing next to Kai, Lia talking to Lorenzo and Jeanne, trying to explain to them what brought her here. 

**Lia:** You’re the only ones who I can trust with knowing this.

Jeanne looks visibly startled, and Lorenzo furrows his brow in confusion. 

**Lorenzo:** Is this about that big bandage on Kai’s head?

**Jeanne:** Wow, woah, slow down. What happened? There’s only so much traumatic news I can take in a day. What about your parents?

**Lia:** This is about my parents. 

Suddenly, the dialogue starts to fade. All noise starts to fade. Much like with Pyrrha going into her episodes, the only sound we hear is Casca breathing. 

The camera angle shifts. Lorenzo, Lia and Jeanne are now in the background, out of focus but their words still vaguely heard. Casca and Kai are in the foreground, and she holds a hand to her head, before almost collapsing. 

Kai notices, and catches her at the last possible moment. She’s having another SHARED BODY MOMENT with Cassandra: just like in Episode 3, for only a couple of seconds, she experiences, feels, hears and sees everything that her counterpart does. 

**Casca:** We need to help her. 

**Kai:** W-wait, what?

CUT, THE OUTER PARKING LOT, THE HOSPITAL, NIGHT

We are back to the stand-off with Cassandra in-and-out of consciousness in her bed, halfway into the van; Petra and the other Outlet members on all sides of her, their hands raised in surrender; and the guard pointing his loaded handgun at them. 

**Guard:** You aren’t the usual drivers and you aren’t authorized to be back here. This girl was supposed to be in surgery. What’re you doing?

Cassandra, as she regains consciousness for another half-second, lets out a pained, exhausted moan. The guard’s eyes flick to her for only a moment. This was his fatal mistake. 

Petra says nothing, but one of the Outlet soldiers--still dressed up as a nurse and on the left of Cassandra’s wheeled bed--pulls out a concealed gun and shoots the officer in the head. 

Cassandra falls back into sleep, her final sight being of the guard’s body crumpling to the ground, dead. 

CUT, THE SECURITY ROOM, THE HOSPITAL, NIGHT

Peggy, watching the guard get shot from the monitor, screams in horror. Not one, but two of the employees here have both been killed by the Outlet. And there’s more to come. 

CUT, THE MAIN ENTRANCE, THE HOSPITAL, NIGHT

**Casca:** We have to help her!

Casca shouts this, abruptly ending the conversation between Lorenzo, Jeanne and Lia. The three of them, as well as Kai, Hazel, Nora and Rin, all look to her like she’s crazy. 

Casca turns to Kai, desperation and fear apparent in her eyes. 

**Casca:** We have to go save her!

**Kai:** Who?

**Casca:** Cassandra, now!

Jeanne and Lorenzo, each concerned with the event’s of the night, are only further frightened with what’s coming out of their daughter’s mouth. 

**Lorenzo:** Woah, woah, slow down, what happ--

He doesn’t get to finish his thought before Casca, already exhausted from the days events, grabs Kai by the wrist and sprints down a nearby hallway to the outer parking lot. 

**Lorenzo:** Hey, HEY, CASCA!

**Lia: KAI!**

Lia runs after her brother, whereas Rin breaks into a full-on sprint. Hazel, Nora, Jeanne and Lia are quickly left behind. 

CUT, THE HOSPITAL’S CORRIDORS, NIGHT

Casca is sprinting down the hospital’s corridors, dragging Kai behind her. He shouts at her to slow down, but his protests fall on deaf ears. 

  
This is a different section of the hospital from the ER, the hallway with Cassandra’s room, the emergency surgery quarters we briefly saw a few scenes ago, or the main entrance. She’s trying to cut off the Outlet before they can take her doppelganger and other half away, forever. 

**Kai: CASCSA, SLOW DOWN!**

Finally, she slows down, only to be immediately met with her next obstacle. 

  
Two Outlet guards, each dressed as we’ve seen before step from around the corner, their handguns drawn and pointed at Kai. 

**Casca:** NO!

She steps forward, prepared to use her body as a human shield for her best friend, but the sound of Rin sprinting over draws the attention of both guards. 

Their helmets obscure some of their features from the side, but once they look up at Rin, their faces become visible, and are clearly unexposed. 

Rin is running so fast he practically SLIDES OVER on the ground, reaching into his pocket and THROWING THE KNIFE. It hits the guard on the left directly in the eye, and he screams. 

Casca and Kai both scream, but before either can react, he runs over. The guard on the right points his gun at Rin, but he’s a second too slow; Rin grabs his arm with both hands and holds the guard’s arm up, redirecting the pistol fire. Casca and Kai--terrified out of their minds--cover their ears with both hands, clinging to each other for dear life. 

Rin uses the same move he used on Fake Tobi: he kicks his foot into the back of the guard’s knee, and he crumples to the ground. 

Rin kicks the dead guard’s handgun off the ground and into his open left hand, before pointing it at the surviving guard and pulling the trigger. 

  
The camera angle shifts and we see Rin’s face, with blood suddenly splattered on it. He reaches down further and plucks the knife out of the other guard’s face, still holding onto the pistol. He has the knife in one hand and the firearm in another. 

We hear ringing go on for several seconds. Casca is holding her hands to her ears, scared witless, and realizing just what she’s gotten herself into after all this time. 

Lia catches up just in time to see the bloodbath. Sound starts to return to Casca’s ears. A nearby nurse screams. Rin grabs Kai’s hand, and pulls him--and, by extension, Casca--forward. 

Rin breaks his Japanese accent once more, and speaks in perfect English. The jig is up. 

**Rin:** Come on!

CUT, THE SECURITY ROOM, THE HOSPITAL, NIGHT

Peggy just watched the entire bloodbath unfold on one of the monitors. Once the camera shifts to her, all that we see is the four running off, leaving two bodies and several panicking healthcare workers behind. 

**Peggy:** No, no, no Casca. What’re you doing!?

CUT, THE OUTER PARKING LOT, THE HOSPITAL, NIGHT

Rin, Casca, Kai and Lia--in this order--rush down an alternate exit to the parking lot, just in time to see the Outlet driving away. 

Rin points his gun and fires four shots from it, at the van as it peels down the driveway. They fail to have any effect. 

**Rin:** Shoot. 

He turns back to the other four, breathing heavy, gun in hand, ears ringing, and covered in blood. He shrugs at them, and speaks, still in perfect English. 

**Rin:** Okay, so...maybe I haven’t been completely honest with any of you. 


	6. Episode 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin reveals everything. The group storms Meadowdale. The leader of The Outlet begins the final stages of his plans. The endgame is approaching.

FADE IN, THE COSTAS TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY, DAY

We fade in to find KAL NOVELL, alive and well. But this isn’t the Kal from Casca’s universe. This is the Kal Novell from Cassandra’s universe. 

He looks different than how he was seen in the past. His hair is shorter, he’s wearing a button-down red shirt and black dress pants. He has a couple of rings on each of his fingers, a silver necklace hanging around his neck, and two studs in his ears. He looks fashionable and classy. This Kal also wears a pair of thin, rectangular glasses. 

This is a FLASHBACK, but not to a year ago, the night of his accident. This is only from ONE DAY AGO. 

**Cassandra:** What’re you showing me?

We hear the voice of Cassandra before she appears on screen. She playfully feigns annoyance, but in actuality she sounds excited, ecstatic almost. Like she knows the answer to her question before she even asks it. 

She walks into frame, two steps behind her brother. This is COSTAS TECHNOLOGY’S LABORATORY, of the other universe. It looks quite a bit like the Meadowdale university laboratory we’ve seen a couple of times already, but with a few changes. It’s a bit smaller, with desks and computers and people crammed closer together. The walls are painted a different color, and in front of them is the INTERDIMENSIONAL PORTAL. It’s fundamentally the same as the one we saw Constantine in front of in Episode 5, but it looks a bit different itself. Maybe a couple of feet shorter, a little wider. The metal doesn’t have as much luster to it, but it’s unmistakable. 

**Kal:** I think you already know the answer. 

**Cassandra:** No. Freaking. Way

Kal walks forward, and we’re met with PROFESSOR STINSON (60s). He seems to be the counterpart of Dr. Staples, the coworker of Korell and Silas from Casca’s universe. This Stinson has longer hair, but just as gray, and slightly different glasses. He wears a thin wedding ring on his left ring finger. 

**Stinson:** Ah, Kal, this must be your sister. 

He steps forward, a genuine, friendly smile on his face, and holds out his hand. 

**Stinson** Cassandra, I take it? I’ve heard so much about you from your brother. 

**Kal:** Just the essentials. 

**Stinson:** I take it Kal’s already given you the tour of everything?

**Cassandra:** He sure has. 

**Stinson:** Including our magnum opus over here?

**Cassandra:** Well, no. Not this...whatever it is. 

Walking past them, there are several other scientists, all with their own gadgets and computers, many of which are either gathered around the portal or watching the conversation with Stinson. 

**Stinson:** Yes, yes, well this is the crowning achievement of Costas Technology. Officially, we’ve been working on it for a little over 6 years, but in actuality it’s been a fair amount longer. Our founder, Stefan Costas, and his wife Delilah have had this little device in their head for quite a long time. In fact, many of our projects in the last decade or so were specifically to fund this beauty. 

**Stefan:** Talking about me behind my back?

All three turn around and are met with STEFAN COSTAS. He’s the spitting image of Silas Costas, his counterpart from the main universe. His clothes look a bit more disheveled, and he’s wearing an outfit we haven’t seen from Silas, but the resemblance is--as usual--unmistakeable. 

Next to him is his wife: DELILAH COSTAS. She looks quite similar to the picture of Doris from earlier, and the different versions of her Pyrrha has seen in her “vertigo episodes”, albeit wearing her hair in a large bun and wearing a white lab coat, same as Stinson. 

**Stinson:** No. Well, technically, yes. 

The two men chuckle, Stefan giving him a pat on the back. 

Stinson points to Delilah for Cassandra’s sake. 

**Stinson:** Cassandra, this is--

**Cassandra:** Delilah Costas, founder of Costas Technology. I presume. 

She adds the last two words as something of an afterthought, and Stefan grins with excitement at the recognition of his wife, absolutely beaming with pride. This Stefan--and, by extension, his wife--seem to be much more open about their work than the mainstream Silas we’ve become familiar with so far. 

**Delilah:** Always a pleasure to meet a fan. 

**Cassandra:** Your writings inspired me to give a speech last year, for my high school, about the possibility of the multiverse. 

**Delilah:** Yes, well, I can’t take all the credit for that. I simply discussed connecting many preexisting dots. String theory, Many-Worlds, et cetera. 

**Cassandra:** But isn’t a big part of science just connecting the dots?

Delilah looks up at Kal with admiration. 

**Delilah:** I like this one. She’s cool. 

Kal smiles with pride. It’s a dream come true for a science nerd such as himself to see his sister so appreciative of his employer and their work. Speaking of which…

**Stefan:** But let’s try not to downplay the work of our very own Kal. After all, it’s because of this brainiac that we’ve made so much progress so soon. He only came on our team a year ago, and I already can’t imagine this happening without him. 

The way Stefan regards Kal is almost like that of a mentor with their apprentice or--even further--a father and his son. It’s a dynamic Cassandra isn’t all too familiar with, seeing her brother talk to these scientists and idols of her as such close friends. 

A smile creeps on Cassandra’s face. She’s not just happy to see such an amazing invention come to life, but to know that her brother played such a crucial role in the final stages. She’s positively glowing with excitement and pride. 

**Cassandra:** I’ve always known he was going to do great things, and this was just the proof I needed. 

**Stefan:** Yes, well done, Kal. Well done. 

**Stinson:** Of course, it wasn’t just me, or him, or anyone. It was all of us working together as a team that could bring to life: the Gateway!

He gestures grandly at the portal...which is still off. 

Reaching down his shirt, Stefan pulls out a GOLDEN NECKLACE, which he had buried under his lab coat and jacket. Slipping it off his neck with his right hand, he walks over to a nearby monitor. It’s similar to one of the ones we saw in Episode 5 next to Constantine, but a bit bulkier, with two slits on the left and right. Stefan’s necklace isn’t actually a necklace at all: it’s a KEY. And one of two, at that. 

**Stefan:** Kal, would you do the honors?

Kal pulls his own silver necklace off his neck and inserts it in the left opening, twisting it slightly. The machine starts to whir to life, and we can see several computers beginning to hum and activate in the background. 

**Stefan:** Excellent…

All five--Delilah Costas, Stefan Costas, Kal Novell, Cassandra Novell, and Martin Stinson--as well as over a dozen nearby scientists, all watch in awe as the Gateway COMES TO LIFE. 

**Delilah:** Mr. Novell, you picked a fine day to bring your sister here. She’s witnessing history in the making. 

The gateway ACTIVATES. Ripples of electrical energy shoot into one-another like orange lightning, and form a concentrated center with many strands of energy coming out, like some kind of bright, kinetic spider-web. 

Stinson and Stefan smile. Delilah claps her hands together in glee. Everything is fitting into place. You almost don’t hear a slight ringing from behind them. 

Stefan turns to Delilah, looking almost ready to cry at the sight of so many years of hard work and innovation finally activating in front of them. 

**Stefan** , to Delilah **:** Everything that you and I have worked for so long on...it’s all coming together. 

Stefan reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small, brown leather wallet. Flipping it open, we see a picture of him, his wife, and their daughter, Pyrrha. 

**Stefan:** We’ll see her soon. 

Cassandra takes a step or two closer to the portal than anyone else, it’s orange light illuminating her features. It’s like she’s staring into the face of God, or into the cosmos themselves. 

The ringing grows louder, and louder, and LOUDER…

**Kal:** Wait, what’s that?

They turn around and see, on another nearby computer, one of their scientists--an older woman with curly black hair and a labcoat, same as the others--is typing frantically, sifting through the data presented to her in multiple tabs. 

**Scientist:** Ma’am, it says that the power is being funneled into the Gateway too fast. It won’t hold for too long. 

**Delilah:** What’re you saying?

**Scientist:** We need to start turning it off, or else--

**Delilah: NO!**

She SLAMS HER HAND on the table, startling everyone in the room. Other scientists are starting to panic. The Gateway is overloading with power; it’s beginning to rattle. 

**Delilah:** We’ve come too far!

**Stefan:** We’re not turning it off!

Kal runs over grabbing the Costas’ by their shoulders. 

**Kal:** Are you two crazy!? We need to!

**Stefan:** No, not now! We can’t!

Kal ignores the two of them. Walking over to the main control center, he attempts to remove his silver activation key from the slit on the left, only for Stefan to grab his hand. 

**Stefan:** You can’t do this to us!

**Kal:** I’m trying to SAVE YOU!

The portal is starting to suck in nearby objects. Coffee cups, pencils, pens, folders, papers and paperclips are all flying in at an alarming rate. Cassandra’s long hair is starting to move forward in the direction of the portal, as if a strong, continuous gust of wind her behind her. 

Delilah tries to rush forward and pry the key out of her husband and Kal’s hands, but Kal pushes the couple away with his left hand and pulls the key out. 

**Delilah:** NO!

She takes a step forward and reaches about, about to take it from his hands by the necklace, but accidentally knocks it out…

And into the hands of Cassandra. 

**Cassandra:** Got it!

But it’s too late. The camera shifts, briefly, to her boots. She starts moving back more, and more, and more. 

**Cassandra:** Wait. No, no. No, no, NO--

**Kal:** Cass!

He runs forward, about to grab her left hand and pull her back--the key still tightly gripped in her right hand--but he’s too late. Even with the key removed and the power rapidly shutting down, it’s not even enough to save her. 

**Cassandra: KAL!**

She reaches out for him one last time, and is sucked into the portal, key still in hand. 

FADE IN, THE MAINSTREAM UNIVERSE, BACK ALLEY, NIGHT

For a few seconds, it’s just black. The sound of ringing in her ears, the sound of ambulance sirens and people screaming. Then a groan of pain. 

It’s a recreation of the opening scene of Episode 3, with Cassandra--now all scraped up--laying on her stomach in the alley. 

**Cassandra:** No, not like this…

But this time, instead of seeing things through the eyes of Casca in Cassandra’s body, we see it as Cassandra herself did: the glass in front of her, the cars crashing, the people who have noticed her and are calling 911. 

This is what Casca didn’t see. With her last ounce of strength, she slips the silver key into her pocket, and passes out. 

Title Card:

Episode 6

FLASHBACK OVER

CUT, INSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL’S LOWER PARKING LOT, COMING OUT OF THE ELEVATOR, NIGHT

It wasn’t a dream or a hallucination. It was a MEMORY, and Cassandra is in the armored van, being driven out of the hospital by the Outlet agents. 

She flashes in and out of consciousness. Her fading consciousness in the past in the alley overlaps somewhat with her awakening consciousness in the van, acting as a transition point for the audience. 

We hear the voices of the Outlet members reacting to her awakening. 

**Nurse 1:** Shit, she’s waking up. 

**Nurse 2:** It didn’t last as long as we thought. 

**Petra:** Well, we couldn’t take a chance with anything stronger. The boss needed her as alive and well as possible for his tests. 

She puts a hand on Cassandra’s face briefly, admiring the interdimensional visitor from another universe. 

**Petra:** It’ll all be over soon. 

Cassandra tries to raise her head and say something--anything--at the Outlet agent, but she can’t muster the strength. Her head falls back to the ground. The sound of other cars honking pierces through, but she barely manages to make out the final thing Petra says. 

**Petra:** It won’t matter soon enough. We’ll be at Meadowdale soon. 

At which point…

**Casca:** I know where she is!

Casca’s voice PIERCES THROUGH. But it didn’t come from the van, it came from the HOSPITAL. 

CUT, THE HOSPITAL PARKING LOT, NIGHT

Casca wasn’t anywhere near Cassandra at all, but she had another SHARED-BODY EXPERIENCE, like when she experienced Cassandra landing in this universe, or when she figured out Cassandra was kidnapped in the prior episode. 

We are following Lia, Rin, Kai and Casca as they are running back out to Lia’s car. Lia is--understandably--scared stiff at the sight of Rin killing those two guards from earlier. 

**Lia:** So…

**Kai:** Rin, you wanna tell us what’s going on?

**Rin:** Let’s let Casca talk first. 

**Kai:** Wait, so are you even an exchange student?!

Rin says nothing. The four get in Lia’s car, and she puts the keys in the ignition, starting it and driving off. 

CUT, THE INSIDE OF LIA’S CAR, DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, NIGHT

**Kai:** Are you even from Japan?!

Nothing. 

**Kai:** Oh, my god. Are you kidding me?! This is the last thing I need to deal with right now. Too many plot-twists in one night. 

**Lia:** Yeah, speaking of plot-twists…

She turns around to face Casca, eyes wide with anger. 

**Lia:** What the HELL is going on?! Who was that girl? Who’s “Cassandra”? Who was kidnapping her? And WHY. THE HELL. DID THEY HAVE GUNS?

Casca notices the bat crammed between her and Rin. 

**Casca:** Does...does this baseball bat have blood on it?

**Lia:** Don’t change the subject!

**Kai:** Casca, is it true?

He holds up the multiverse speech from earlier, some dirt and dried blood on it. 

**Kai:** Is she from another universe?

Casca hesitates, bringing the speech to her hands. It’s a symbolic, significant moment for her. The last time she read this, her brother died less than an hour later. Tonight, she’s finally getting answers. 

**Casca:** Yes. 

**Kai:** I KNEW IT!

**Lia:** What?

**Rin:** So, she’s right. There are other universes out there. 

**Lia** and  **Kai:** WHAT?

**Casca:** It’s true. Cassandra came to this world a few hours ago during that massive blackout. I think they’re linked. She’s my exact double, with just one or two differences, like hair length. 

**Lia:** She looks exactly like you, but we’re certain that this isn’t a switched at birth, secret twins situation? Or just two strangers that look inexplicably alike?

**Casca:** Not a chance. She has the same tell as me. 

**Lia:** “Tell?”

**Casca:** Yeah. I blink twice when I lie, and so does she. Cassandra has the same memories of Kal and my parents, they just diverged about a year and a half ago. When she saw my mom, she thought it was her mom, and she just hit her head and forgot the previous few hours of memories. That’s how identical our lives are. 

**Kai:** Holy shit. 

**Casca:** Right? But we also have shared body experiences. I had a nightmare about a car crash--I thought it was about the night of the accident-- but it turns out, she experienced the exact thing, at the exact same time. It’s like...I  **was** her, for a minute, at least. 

**Lia:** But you said that the memories...diverged?

**Casca:** Yeah. The big difference? Kal is still alive in her world. When Cassandra woke up, she was worried about Kal. 

**Kai:** But what about those people? The ones that took her?

**Casca:** I don’t know! That’s where my knowledge of the situation ends. 

**Rin:** I know who they were. 

Everyone looks at him like he’s a ghost. You could hear a pin drop. With five words, Rin shifts the entire tone of the conversation. 

**Lia:** Are. You. KIDDING ME?!

**Kai:** Stop throwing us curveballs and just TELL US where you’re from already!

Rin sighs, leaning forward in the car seat. 

**Rin:** Casca was right about everything. I’m from another world. 

CUT, BACK AT THE HOSPITAL, MAIN CORRIDOR, NIGHT

More waves of cops have since arrived. There have to be at least 10 in the hallway alone, all looking down at the two bodies left behind by Rin’s assault. 

In the background, a forensic scientist is examining a bullet, shot by one of the Outlet soldiers as Rin grabbed his arm and redirected it. 

We focus on two officers, amidst the rest of the crowd, discussing the case. 

**Officer 1:** The nurses say it was a kid?

**Officer 2** : Yeah, one of them said he couldn’t be older than 18. 

**Officer 1:** And...they also say these men were wearing bulletproof vests and had guns drawn. 

**Officer 2:** Yeah, I couldn't believe it either. 

**Officer 1:** Don’t. It can’t be both. 

**Officer 2:** I didn’t believe it either till I saw the security footage. 

**Officer 1:** There was another body inside that room, right?

**Officer 2:** Yeah, one of the visitors found him. Shot in the head. 

They’re referring to Peggy, and her discovery of the dead security guard inside the room. 

Two more officers are setting up “Caution: Do Not Enter” yellow tape in the hallway, but a detective walks in-shot from the background, dipping under the tape and catching both their attention. It’s the same character from earlier: ROY PETERSON. 

**Roy:** I just talked to the parents. They said they have no idea what happened. 

**Officer 1:** No shit?

**Roy:** Said their daughter was acting strange. Kids ran off down a hallway, and seconds later they heard gunshots and screaming. The kids drove off. 

**Officer 2:** Do we at least have a license plate number for the car they were in?

**Roy:** Yeah, but get this. I asked the receptionist if she caught any of their names, said they were calling one girl, Casca. But that’s also the girl they were claiming to visit. 

**Officer 1:** That’s the worst alibi I’ve ever heard. 

**Roy:** I don’t know. The parents were babbling on about some “mysterious doppelganger” their daughter met. 

**Officer 2:** And where is this...doppelganger?

**Roy:** No clue. Some nurse named Petra Seitz was talking with her when she flatlined. Minutes later, she’s smuggled out of the hospital by some nurses, who shoot another guard along the way. 

**Officer 1:** I looked into it. Asked the head nurse, sounds like there is no Petra Seitz. 

The three all contemplate the bloodbath surrounding them. 

CUT, THE INSIDE OF LIA’S CAR, DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, NIGHT

We are back to the quartet of Lia, Rin, Kai and Casca, with Rin explaining where he’s from and what his true origins are. 

**Rin:** I didn’t lie about my name. My name actually is Sato Rin. But I’m not an exchange student from Japan. My family is second-generation Japanese Americans. 

**Kai:** Is that the only thing you told us that’s true?

**Rin:** ...I told you guys I have a family waiting for me back home, but what that home means...yeah, that’s a lie. 

**Casca:** Where did you learn to do all that? Back at the hospital?

**Rin:** I’ve been good at fighting for a while. 

He sighs, ready to reveal the truth about what he’s been hiding this entire time. 

**Rin:** I’ve worked for the last year and a half to delicately maintain this facade at all costs, but here it goes: I’m from another reality. 

**Lia:** SERIOUSLY?!

**Rin:** Of course. Reality, universe, dimension, whatever you wanna call it, it sounds like I’m from another one. Like Cassandra. 

**Casca:** From the same one as her?

She sounds almost desperate, hungry for truth about this situation. 

**Rin:** ...no. It doesn’t sound like it. The Outlet is a group of people trying to suppress any sort of information about the existence of other worlds, and they’ve been working for years to stop this. 

**Casca:** Years?

**Rin:** Numerous people have tried and failed to cross universes or learn about them for decades now. Cassandra seems to be one of the few that succeeded, albeit by accident. 

**Lia:** Why would we believe you?

**Rin:** You can, or you cannot. It doesn’t matter to me, personally. But at least hear me out. 

He turns to Casca, his interest in her piqued immensely, and vice versa. 

**Rin:** I think you’re gonna want to hear this. 

**Casca:** I’m listening. 

Rin inhales deeply, rubbing his eyes. He hasn’t told anyone about this for a long time. 

**Rin:** Like I said, people have been trying to learn about the existence of parallel dimensions for years. Across all worlds in the multiverse. Mine happened to be one where we learned about it quite...early. We suffered the consequences as a result. 

**Casca:** You mean those...people, right? What’d you call them, the Outlet?

**Rin:** Right. They’ve been suppressing this information for years. I grew up and was raised in America, but in my world, the Outlet had a lot more influence. Here, they have local influence, over the course of a couple of small locations. But back there? Nothing was safe, not even the government. I learned to fight at a young age. I had to. To survive. 

Casca puts her hand on Rin’s, a comforting gesture uncharacteristic to her usually stoic and reserved demeanor. 

**Casca:** That sounds horrible. 

**Rin:** It was. Which was why, 18 months ago, when I had a chance to escape, I took it. I arrived here, and decided to keep going with my previous identity. 

**Kai:** Why? Wouldn’t they be suspicious if you kept using your name?

**Rin:** That’s why I tried to keep under the radar. I grew up fluent in Japanese, so I pretended to be a Japanese exchange student. Anytime the Outlet of my particular area got suspicious, I was most likely on my way to a new city by that point. They’ve been chasing me for a while. 

**Lia:** Ok, “Rin,” if what you say is true and you kept your name, wouldn’t you butt heads with another Rin Sato eventually in this universe?

**Rin:** Not necessarily. Universes can vary quite a bit. Names might be different, entire people might not exist, history-altering events, might’ve never happened. 

He turns to Casca, once again intrigued by her story. 

**Rin:** This Cassandra girl sounds like one such example. Her name is different, and her brother is still alive. So that’s obviously two major differences that distinguish this universe from hers. 

**Kai:** Ok, but wouldn’t you find someone else that looks exactly like you, even if the name is different?

**Rin:** Again, not necessarily. Not everyone has a counterpart. There might be someone around here who looks exactly like me, but it’s also entirely possible that there’s no one in this universe anything like me. I couldn’t take that chance, so over a year ago, I became an exchange student. It’d give me a good excuse to move around the world, and minimize the risk of ever running into a “doppelganger”. 

**Casca:** You keep saying that, the day you came. When was it?

**Rin:** February 6th. 

Once again, you could hear a pin drop. 

**Kai:** Shit. 

Lia hasn’t put the puzzle pieces together quite yet. 

**Lia** , confused and borderline irritated: What?

**Casca:** That’s the last time this city had a major blackout. The night my brother died. 

She looks to Rin, her eyes scorching with determination and a will to uncover the truth of that night. 

**Casca:** Whatever accident a year and a half ago caused that blackout and killed my brother, but it also opened a portal that brought you here. Yesterday, something similar must’ve happened that caused another blackout and brought my doppelganger into this world. 

**Rin:** If we can figure out what caused that, and where, we might have a chance at figuring out where they took Cassandra. Interdimensional technology--any of it, no matter the universe--requires a lot of energy. So that’s why it’s been causing these blackouts every time. 

He turns to Kai and Lia, suddenly getting an idea. The puzzle pieces are all clicking. 

**Rin:** Wait a minute. Kai, Lia. That’s probably where the doppelgangers of your family came from!

Casca’s eyes bugged out. 

**Casca:** No way. You guys had your own doppelgangers?

**Kai:** Well, most of our family. I didn’t, and Rin obviously didn’t have one either. 

**Lia:** They impersonated our real parents--and me--and took them hostage. 

Casca notices the specific choice of words: “them,” not “us.”

**Casca:** But...not you?

**Lia:** Nope! I was a badass. 

Casca looks to Kai for confirmation, and he nods. 

**Kai:** It’s true. She saved us. 

**Casca:** Oh my god, what all happened?

Kai sighs, leaning back in his chair. 

**Kai:** Okay, it’s a weird story…

CUT, INSIDE OF THE MEADOWDALE LABORATORY, NIGHT

We cut back to Constantine, Pyrrha and Silas in front of the portal. This time, the camera is zoomed out, and we can see that surrounding them, Silas’ scientists have been slaughtered, shot to death by the Outlet. 

**Constantine:** My name’s Constantine, by the way. Not that it matters, because if it wasn’t me it’d be someone else. And you guys were dangerously close, made my job a living hell for a while. 

Pyrrha and Silas are still bound, gagged and tied to the chairs, unable to respond. Constantine clicks his tongue and approaches, removing the gag from Silas’ mouth. He’s already won, and he has nothing to lose. 

**Constantine:** Here, let me help you there. 

Once the gag is all the way off, Silas wastes no time in turning to Pyrrha and comforting his daughter. 

**Silas** , to Pyrrha: It’s alright, dear. Everything is going to be ok. 

**Constantine** : Perhaps. That remains to be seen. 

He leans in, dangerously close to Silas, eyes burning with intent. 

**Constantine:** Where is it?

**Silas:** Wh-what? Where is what?

**Constantine:** Don’t play dumb. I know you’re smart enough to build this, that won’t work on me. You must’ve made some kind of sequence to shut it down. 

Silas smiles. He has all the power. He drops the disheveled, confused facade, and lets Constantine know this. Suddenly confident, he speaks with a charisma and intensity we haven’t seen from him. 

**Silas** , determined: You. Will never find it. 

Constantine wastes no time. He BACKHANDS Silas, standing tall and staring down the man. Pyrrha tries to scream through her gag. 

**Silas:** That's all you got?

Constantine sighs, frustrated. He doesn’t enjoy this, but he knows it has to be done. He seems genuinely annoyed, like a parent scolding their child over a tantrum. Constantine gains no pleasure out of this, but he knows he has to. 

He closes his fist and PUNCHES SILAS IN THE FACE. Blood is pouring down his now-broken nose and onto his shirt. Constantine retains his cold, unmoving look. 

**Constantine** : Do you want to know why we brought you here, Pyrrha?

He looks over at the girl from her father, and reaches into his back pocket, pulling out the packet of pills Silas took earlier. 

**Constantine:** I suppose there’s no harm in explaining it. I’m not a monster. I’m not the sort of man to mercilessly kill a girl. She has to at least know why, and what her father did. 

With gloved hands he opens the bag and takes one of the pills out, rolling it between his fingers. 

**Constantine:** I consider myself something of an expert in my specific field. I’ve seen a lot over the years, but never really anything like this. 

**Silas:** Leave. Her. Out of this. 

Constantine turns back to Silas, his voice unwavering, his every movement calculated. 

**Constantine:** Hush, Costas. Let me finish. Doesn’t she deserve to know? Doesn’t she have the right to finally know everything her father’s been hiding from her?

Silas turns to Pyrrha, desperately trying to convince her of his allegiance. 

**Silas:** Dear, I’m not a bad man. I wanted to tell you, but I never got the chance before they came. 

Pyrrha’s eyes go wide with shock. She’s shaking her head “no,” scared of what’s about to be said. 

**Silas:** Everything I’ve done has been for you, and your mother. 

**Constantine:** THAT’S the explanation you’re going to end on? How unsatisfactory. 

He turns back to Pyrrha. 

**Constantine:** Pyrrha Costas, I wasn’t lying about what I said earlier. Everything that’s happened has been because of your father. 

He pauses, carefully selecting his next words, careful to not speak ill of the dead. 

**Constantine:** And, just as much, your mother. 

Pyrrha is horrified. She wants to scream or talk through the gag, or do anything, but all she can do is shake in stunned silence. 

**Constantine:** But I presume that you already knew that. If our hypothesis is true, you’ve probably suspected as much for a while. 

**Silas:** I’m warning you, leave her out of this!

Silas is shaking in his seat, trying to undo the ties. Constantine suddenly reaches behind him and pulls out a handgun from his back pocket. Turning the safety off he points it to Silas...before turning it back to Pyrrha, without taking his eyes off Silas. Silas stops struggling. 

**Constantine:** That’s just one reason. One reason why we brought her here, but there’s more. 

He turns to her. His voice is flat, devoid of any subtext, motivation or feeling, like a lecturer talking to his student. 

**Constantine:** I’ll make this quick, Pyrrha. Your parents engineered a machine that was capable of using massive amounts of electricity to open a portal into another universe. 18 months ago, it malfunctioned, causing a blackout across the city and resulting in numerous accidents. 

**Silas:** That was a mistake. You have to know it was a mistake. 

**Constantine:** It’s not about the intent, Professor Costas, but the results. We know that more than anyone. We knew that this machine was dangerous. If it kept going, it could result in more accidents; if it succeeded, the knowledge of other worlds out there would disrupt the fragile balance we’ve tried to maintain so hard in this one. So we took action. 

He pulls out Pyrrha’s phone. The screen is cracked from the car accident, and there’s blood and dirt on it, but it still works. He turns on the smartphone, and her lockscreen comes to life, revealing the family photo of her, her father and her mother. Constantine points to her mother. 

**Constantine:** We knew it’d be suspicious if everyone working on a top-secret project in a big city like this suddenly went missing. So, we did the next best thing while trying to maintain our cover. We took out the brains of the operation: Doris Costas. 

By this point, Pyrrha is crying. Silas is furious. 

**Silas:** You BASTARD! YOU KILLED HER! YOU--

Constantine wordlessly moves closer, the barrel of the gun now pushing against Pyrrha’s forehead. Silas stops. 

**Constantine:** One more word. One more insult, and she’s gone, just like your wife. Okay?

Constantine is frustrated, close to breaking. He sighs. He mumbles something under his breath. 

**Constantine** , mumbling: What...a mess. 

Two Outlet soldiers enter the room, both carrying semi-automatic machine guns. The first speaks: it’s the sniper that killed the alternate versions of Tobi, Bella and Lia. 

**Sniper:** Sir, we failed to take out the loose ends, but they’re all heading here, with the Novell girl’s double. 

A smile lights up on Constantine’s face. 

**Constantine:** Her? What could she possibly want?

At the name “Novell,” Silas and Pyrrha both pique up in recognition, before looking at each other, as if to say “You know them too?”

**Sniper:** Not sure, sir, but we have a force ready to intercept their vehicle. 

**Constantine:** Call them off. Bring them inside, instead. I’ve never had two doubles this connected, they’ll make for interesting subjects. 

This day is getting worse and worse for everyone involved. 

CUT, THE OUTSIDE OF MEADOWDALE, NIGHT

**Lia:** You sure this is the place?

**Casca:** I’m positive. 

We see Lia’s car pull up and stop. In front of them, there’s the university, shut down and locked close for the night. 

We now have a second shot, but this time more zoomed in. We see numerous cars, each the same: all black, armored vans with tinted windows. In one of them, the backdoor opens and Cassandra is carried out by Petra. 

**Casca:** Rin, do you know anything about this?

**Rin:** Not one bit. 

**Casca:** What do you remember about…

She trails off, struggling to find the term. 

**Casca:** ...landing here?

**Rin:** Not much. I came through a portal in my world, but arrived somewhere completely different than here. That’s part of the technology. You don't necessarily have to go into Portal A and come out Portal B, but there have to be at least two portals to bridge the universes together in the first place. 

Lia sighs, and rests her head against the steering wheel out of a mixture of exhaustion and frustration. 

**Lia:** Guys, those people that attacked you two had guns! I have a baseball bat! We’re screwed, we can’t do anything about this!

**Kai:** What do you propose, seeing as calling the police is out of the question?

**Casca:** Lia, we have to do this. Meadowdale seems to be connected to the portal technology of this universe, just like Costas Technologies of Cassandra’s universe. If we can figure it out, maybe we can get her home. 

Kai perks up at the mention of “Costas.”

**Kai:** Wait, what?

**Casca:** Cassandra mentioned to me she got here because of some company called Costas Technology that made their own portal in her world. 

**Kai:** Costas as in...Pyrrha Costas? The other exchange student?

A beat. 

**Casca:** No fucking way. 

**Lia:** Oh great, is  **she** from another world as well!?

**Kai:** At the very least, she’s gotta be connected to it. She said her father works as a professor and researcher here. Besides, when those doppelgangers came to our house, she gave me a really weird call…

**Lia:** This is getting ridiculous. 

She immediately puts the car in reverse, ready to get out of here. 

**Casca:** What’re you doing!

**Lia:** Getting the hell out of here! I don’t care if we get arrested for assault anymore, it’s better than dying! Turns out, everyone’s either from another universe, knows about them, trying to kill us, or all three!

**Kai:** Lia!

Kai points...at another red, ladybug-sized dot on her chest. From a sniper scope. 

**Lia:** SHIT!

CUT, THE MEADOWDALE UNIVERSITY ROOF, NIGHT

We see the SNIPER, once more taking aim at the Dresden family car. He has his sights set on Lia, only for Kai to point to her shirt...and they both start yelling. 

**Sniper:** Gotcha. 

He pulls the trigger….

CUT, THE MEADOWDALE ENTRANCE, NIGHT

Lia steps on the gas pedal, the car in reverse, and GUNS IT. The shot just barely misses, hitting the ground directly in front of the car. 

**Kai:** Not again, not-A-FREAKING-GAIN!

Lia flips the car around and is about to drive away, when the sniper takes ANOTHER SHOT, directly into the back tire of the van. The tire practically EXPLODES, and Lia loses control of the car, crashing it into a phone poll, stranding them. 

**Casca:** No, no. Nonononono--

She looks out the car, and realizes that the car is surrounded by Outlet soldiers, with Petra in front, pointing her handgun directly at Casca. 

The focus shifts to Rin, who brushes his palm over the handgun he took from the soldier at the hospital. Like a cowboy out of a Western, he shows no fear, ready to draw at a moment’s notice. 

CUT, THE MEADOWDALE LABORATORY, IN FRONT OF THE PORTAL, NIGHT

We are BACK, with Constantine still talking to the tied Silas and Pyrrha, the former of whom has been recently ungagged. After he mumbles something to his soldiers, who both turn around and run up to the main ground level, he turns back to the daughter-and-father duo. 

**Constantine:** I’m sure you heard that, Pyrrha. Kal Novell was one of the brightest minds this side of the Mississippi, and he tragically perished because of the mistakes of your parents. 

**Silas:** He was an employee! He knew the risks!

**Constantine:** If the “risks” are affecting an entire city, then they’ve gone out of control! He was a child, and one of the latest in a dangerous line about to get involved in technology they can’t possibly comprehend. But no more. We’re ending this cycle tonight. 

**Silas:** All of the blood here is on your hands, not mine. 

**Constantine:** No. No, it’s on yours. In your hubris, you restarted the project, caused ANOTHER outage, and brought even more unwelcome guests to this world, disrupting the fragile system of balance in this universe. 

He checks the watch on his wrist. 2:38 am. Mere minutes until Cassandra will be here. 

**Constantine:** A girl--Cassandra Novell--was brought into this world by accident. If it came out that she was from another reality, it’d send the public into a panic. 

**Silas:** I had to! You took my wife from this world, and I needed to bring her back. To find another one of her. She was the only one for me, the love of my life. 

By this point, he’s pleading, desperate to let his daughter go. 

**Silas:** Please, just let our family be whole again. 

Constantine pulls the gun off Pyrrha’s face and walks over to Silas. Kneeling down, he expresses genuine sympathy. 

**Constantine:** I understand, Professor Costas. I have a family too. And it’s for that reason that I have to keep them safe from any more accidents. From any more unwanted visitors. 

He turns around. We see a pile of photos, with the iconic one of Kal, Staples, Korell and Silas on the top. It’s the very same one Pyrrha brought with the police. It was recovered!

**Constantine:** That’s where you come in, Pyrrha. Exposure to the portals causes certain...effects. A rare amount of the people we’ve studied that are exposed to it’s technology can experience rare, out-of-body experiences. They seemingly go to other worlds, or inhabit the minds of people from those worlds. 

Pyrrha’s eyes widen in recognition. She knows exactly what this is. She tries to mumble through the gag. 

**Pyrrha** , hoarsely: ...no!

He holds up the pills again, illuminated by the blue light of the portal. 

**Constantine:** I presume that’s why your father had these. Remarkable really. They suppress the side effect of those little “episodes”...well, we call that phenomenon “vertigo”, but it’s all the same. Whatever gene creates this vulnerability seems to be genetic. Your father had it, and you have it too. 

**Silas:** Please, just let her go…

Constantine ignores the pleas of the broken, beat-down Silas. He powers through in his lecture, getting caught up in the gravity of it all. 

**Constantine:** Like I said, it’s quite rare. To put it all quite bluntly, I ordered my soldiers bring you in alive not just for leverage on your father, but to study these vertigo episodes. 

**Silas:** You can’t do this!

Constantine has had enough. With minimal effort, he points the gun at Silas once more, and pulls the trigger. The bullet soars into his knee, and he screams in pain. Pyrrha screams out of fear. 

**Constantine:** I’m only doing this because you forced me too. Now, tell me Silas, how do I turn it off!

**Silas:** I’ll never tell! Not as long as I have a chance to see her again!

**Constantine:** Oh, really?

He points the gun at Pyrrha’s head once more. 

**Constantine:** Do you really want to play this game? 

Silas is gritting his teeth, hissing through the pain. Blood is pouring down his leg and onto the floor, but he tries to remain strong. 

**Silas:** You won’t do it. You just told me you wouldn’t. 

**Constantine:** Oh?

**Silas:** You have to study her and use her as leverage for me, right? Can’t do that if she’s dead. 

**Constantine:** Vertigo is an act of the mind, not the body. 

Slowly, he lowers the gun to her shoulder, then her arm, then her leg. 

**Constantine:** As long as she’s kept alive, I can do whatever I please with her. 

Pyrrha looks down at her father’s bloodied, torn leg. The proof that Constantine isn’t afraid to pull the trigger. 

**Constantine:** 3...2…

**Silas:** IT’S A KEY!

Constantine stops, and lowers the gun. The answer hooks him. He’s intrigued. 

**Constantine:** It’s a key, you say? Tell more. 

**Silas:** You can’t shut it down! There are two of them. I have one in my house. That’s what your men were looking for, right? Some kind of information about how to shut the portal down? But there’s a second once. 

**Constantine:** And where is it?

Silas leans forward, a devilish smile creeping on his face. 

**Silas:** That’s the beauty of it. I gave it to someone else a long time ago. I have no idea where it is. 

Constantine puts the gun down. For once, his demeanor cracks. His mouth is slightly agape. He has no idea how to react, or what to do. Turning around, he looks back at the photo of Kal, Staples, Korell and Silas, and notices something…

The camera zooms in on Kal. For the first time, we’re seeing clearly a key around his neck, popping out against his black sweater. It’s the same key that Stefan Costas and the Kal Novell of the other universe used to unlock their own portal. 

Constantine gets an idea, the pieces clicking together in his mind. 

**Constantine:** Petra, bring me Casca and Cassandra Novell. 

CUT, THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF MEADOWDALE, NIGHT

The fight is ALREADY OVER. Off-screen, Kai, Lia, Rin and Casca were all incapacitated. Guards are carrying all of them over their shoulders. 

Petra is leading the soldiers, passing by the body of FRANK, the security guard Silas was friends with in Episode 2. She answers her radio. 

**Petra:** Bringing the intruders in, boss. We’ll grab Cassandra on our way. 

Out of the bunch, we see that Rin is the most injured. He’s bloody and bruised, with a black eye and some kind of head injury. 

CUT, IN FRONT OF THE PORTAL, MEADOWDALE LABORATORY, NIGHT

Constantine turns off the radio and puts it down. 

**Constantine** : Sometimes, I can’t believe how lucky I am. 

The final shot of the episode is of him turning to the portal, his back to Pyrrha and Silas, folding his arms behind his back. 


	7. Episode 7: Finale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The endgame of the series is here. Casca, Rin, Kai and Lia have been kidnapped, but they get help from an unexpected ally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To anyone who reads this far, thank you. This project means a lot to me, and while I think it has many flaws, I aim to fix them. (I intend to rewrite this project soon, bringing it more in line with scripts in television and fixing several character arcs and plot points.) Until then, I'm ecstatic to finally post this. Thank you.

This is it. The start of it all. The genesis of everything we’ve seen so far. 

The night that set events in motion for years to come, across nearly a half-dozen other universes. 

The night Casca gave her speech. The NIGHT OF KAL’S DEATH. 

We hear her voice before we see her. It’s the same dialogue we heard in Episode 1. 

**Casca:** When I was four years old, my brother used these to explain atoms to me. 

FADE IN, THE AUDITORIUM, NIGHT

A FLASHBACK. Casca is giving her speech on the multiverse. Same auditorium, same night, same people, same everything. But this time, the camera is more focused on KAL, watching his sister with pride, as opposed to focusing on Casca herself. 

**Casca:** He’s 4 years older than me, and he started learning about atoms in his science class that day.

He gives a smile. His sister is growing up so far, blossoming into a beautiful and independent woman. 

Her words start to fade into silence. He looks down, and we see, hanging off his neck, a KEY. One of the two keys used to unlock the portal, similar to the key his alternate universe self had in Cassandra’s world. 

He slips the key off his neck, holding it in his hand as he looks at her. 

CUT, AFTER THE SPEECH, NIGHT

Casca runs over to her brother, struggling in her too-high heels, but he runs over to her and pulls her into a massive hug, slightly lifting her off the ground as he does so. She is absolutely beaming, a bright smile on her face. 

**Casca:** I did it! I won!

**Kal:** I know. I knew you would. 

They pull away for a second, and Casca looks up at her older brother. She practically worships the boy. He’s been her inspiration for so much. 

**Casca:** Thank you so much for helping me with it. 

**Kal:** Hey, don’t do that to me. It was all you. 

**Casca:** Stop trying to be humble. You helped me so much. 

**Kal:** But I didn’t even have to. You’ve been so passionate about this for so long. I’m just glad you got to finally see it to fruition. 

Casca looks around them. Other kids her age, dressed just as nicely, are pouring out of the auditorium. They are the other contestants, both from Casca’s school and other schools in the state, all competing in this competition. They are met with hugs and handshakes and high-fives and congratulations from friends, parents, siblings and grandparents. 

Standing a few feet away from the large crowd, Kal and Casca are alone. Neither Lorenzo nor Jeanne have shown up. Casca’s face falls. 

**Casca:** Mom and Dad...never made it, did they?

Kal doesn’t have to say anything. 

**Kal:** Let’s get out of here. 

CUT, THE HALLWAYS OF THE BUILDING, NIGHT

As everyone else is clamoring around each other, Casca--the winner of the night--walks off with her brother. 

**Kal:** You know how it is. They probably just got caught up in work. 

She says nothing. Her face is stone cold. 

Kal reaches into his pocket for his necklace. He stops walking, and she mimics him, coming to a stop in front of him. 

**Casca:** What’re you doing? Car’s this way. 

He pauses, not really sure what else to say beyond “congratulations.”

**Kal:** I know it was shitty of them to not turn up, but...well, hopefully this makes it better. 

He shows her the necklace, the key glimmering under the fluroescent lights. 

**Kal:** It’s not much, but I wear it a lot. I really like it. It feels like...well, it’s my good luck charm. 

**Casca** : Where’d you get it from?

**Kal:** Work. 

She gives him a confused look, and he shrugs. 

**Kal:** It’s...well, it’s kind of a long story. I’ll explain it when we get home. But...I want you to have it. 

He holds it out, and she lowers her head slightly, he puts the necklace on her, and the luster gold compliments her black dress. 

**Casca:** If it’s good luck, why didn’t you give it to me before?

It’s meant to be a sarcastic quip, but he takes it in stride. 

**Kal:** I knew you didn’t need it. 

The camera zooms in on the necklace. It acts as a transition point for…

THE PRESENT

CUT, OUTSIDE MEADOWDALE’S MAIN ENTRANCE, NIGHT

The same necklace now dangles around CASCA’S NECK. It is the KEY TO THE PORTAL. The very thing that took Kal’s life now hangs around the neck of the person who mourns him the most. 

We are seeing what happened off-screen, when Casca’s group was defeated by the soldiers. They are still in Lia’s car, surrounded by soldiers with their weapons pointed. 

**Kai:** Can you start it?

**Lia:** I’m trying!

The two siblings are beginning to panic in the face of danger. Lia is twisting the keys as hard as she can, desperately trying to start the car, but to no avail. Crashing into the pole destroyed the engine. 

**Petra:** We don’t want to harm any of you. Just come out. No games. 

Petra tells the quartet this while standing in front of two soldiers, guns drawn. Casca leans out her window, looking directly at Petra. 

**Casca:** YOU! 

Rin tries to reach forward and pull her back in, but she gets his hand off her leg. 

**Casca:** What did you do with her!? WHAT DID YOU DO?!

**Petra:** I can assure you, she is safe inside and unharmed. We simply gave her a drug to knock her out while we transported her over here. 

**Kai:** CASCA, GET INSIDE!

Now, Lia, Kai and Rin are all panicking, all trying to get Casca back inside the car and stop her anger. 

Two of the soldiers approach, ready to start pulling them out one by one. Rin successfully pulls Casca inside, just as one of these soldiers opens their car door, gun drawn. Lia is still trying to start the car. 

**Soldier:** You’ve caused enough trouble so far. Everybody sto--

Rin reaches over, grabs the guard’s gun, and STABS HIM IN THE EYE, the same trick as last time. The guard screams in pain, and Rin pulls out his handgun, shooting at Petra. 

**Petra:** OPEN FIRE!

All of the soldiers start firing at them. Casca, Kai and Lia all duck into their seats, whereas Rin uses the body of the soldier he just killed as a shield from the bullets. 

One of the soldiers runs over and pulls the corpse off Rin. Rin tries to shoot at him, but the soldier grabs him by the arm and yanks him, practically throwing him out of the vehicle and onto the floor. 

Rin tries to reach for the knife, but the soldier kicks it away and STOMPS ON HIS HAND. Rin screams in pain, and the soldier starts kicking him in the chest, now joined by two more. 

**Kai:** Stop! 

Kai tries to run out at the guards assaulting Rin, but he is tackled and pulled aside by another. Rin seems a goner, until…

CRACK

With the baseball bat, Lia WACKS A GUARD, as hard as human possible. He goes down, but before she can swing again, the bat is plucked out of her hands by Petra, who tases Lia in the chest. 

Casca is pulled out of the car, kicking and screaming. She points at Petra, yelling obscenities at her, before headbutting the soldier carrying her. She attempts to run forward at her, but is again tackled to the ground and kicked in the ribs, like Rin. 

Trying to regain her footing, she is immediately socked in the jaw by the same guard who tackled Kai, and she falls once more. 

The camera lingers slightly on the key, beginning to pan out as we 

CUT, OUTSIDE THE COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, NIGHT

We are with KORELL, AGAIN. He pulls up in front of the household, and immediately notices the garage door is open, the garage has supplies scattered all over the floor, and two of the windows are broken. 

**Korell:** Oh, no. 

CUT, INSIDE THE COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, LIVING ROOM, NIGHT

**Korell: SILAS!**

He runs inside, and finds the same carnage Pyrrha once found. Everything is destroyed, overturned, or thrown on the ground haphazardly. 

**Korell:** No. No, no…

He runs into Silas’ room, past the open closet, piles of clothes, overturned dresser, and ripped-apart mattress. There’s a bathroom connected to Silas’ room, and without hesitation, he walks in, clearly familiar with the layout of the house. 

The bathroom is a mess. The mirror and shower stall are both broken, as is a window in the upper right corner, spreading glass everywhere. The medicine cabinet has been emptied entirely. Capsules of antidepressants and Adderall are littered amongst Ibuprofen and common cold medicine. The lid of the toilet has been removed, and the bathtub has a noticeable hole in it. 

He walks over to a specific section of the wall next to the shower. Feeling around, he finds one tile slightly looser than the others. 

**Korell:** Bingo. 

He removes the tile, and there, hidden behind it, is A SAFE. Korell wastes no time in inputting a security code, and the safe opens with a beep automatically, revealing two items. 

The first: a sleek black handgun, with spare ammo next to it. 

After pulling it back, and putting the handgun in his pocket, Korell finds the second item: the other key to the Portal!

He looks back the way he came, making sure no one followed him. He retraces his steps out the door, this time dialing Staples. He picks up on the second ring. 

**Staples:** How bad is it?

**Korell:** Bad. Costas is gone. No one’s around. 

**Staples:** Is the key safe?

**Korell:** And sound. They didn’t find it. Bring your sidearm. Meet me at Meadowdale. 

**Staples:** But--

Korell hangs up. He stops in his place, looking around at the ruined house, before looking back down at his phone. He calls Silas one more time. When it goes to voicemail again, Korell--certain of the situation--gets back into his car, and starts driving to Meadowdale. 

CUT, THE SAFE, COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, NIGHT

As we hear the sound of a car speeding away, the camera briefly lingers on the key inside the safe. This transitions to...

CUT, THE MEADOWDALE LABORATORY, NIGHT

The necklace jangles slightly, moving left and right, like a pendulum. Something is moving.  **Casca** is moving. 

We zoom back out, and see the cause of the motion. She’s been picked up by one of the OUTLET SOLDIER, slung over his shoulders, her necklace hanging over the back of his bulletproof vest. 

She is brought in front of PYRRHA, SILAS and CONSTANTINE. Other soldiers behind her carry LIA, KAI and RIN, who has been injured the most out of the four that came to Meadowdale. 

**Constantine:** I take it they’re not awake?

The soldier carrying Casca pipes up. 

**Soldier:** This one’s starting to wake up. 

**Constantine:** Good. Set her down. 

The soldier does as he is commanded. He puts Casca--barely conscious and barely breathing--on the floor. Pyrrha tries to scream, and she only sounds more terrified now that she can see Rin and Kai are with her too. 

**Constantine:** Ms. Novell? 

He leans down, looking her in the eye. She blinks awake, and tries to move a muscle, but is too weak, too badly bruised, too hurt. All she can do is speak, her voice hoarse, barely a whisper. 

**Casca** , quietly, hoarsely: Where...is...she?

**Constantine:** Are you referring to your double? I asked one of my guards to bring her down. You see, I’ve never had anything like you two. 

He leans down, grabbing her necklace and slowly slipping it off her neck. She tries to grab at it, but he intercepts her, holding her wrist in place. 

**Constantine:** Luck really is on my side tonight, isn’t it?

**Casca:** ...that’s...Kal’s. 

**Constantine:** Yes, Novell, I figured. 

He holds the key in the air triumphantly. Silas’ eyes go wide with terror. 

**Silas: NO!** You can’t!

**Constantine:** Seems Kal’s final action was to pass his half of the deactivation sequence onto his sister. How fitting. In a sense, his own hand will help aid us in destroying the machine that took his life. 

**Silas:** But you still need the other one!

**Constantine:** Shouldn’t take too long. Either I’ll find yours...or find out what the other Novell knows. 

**Casca:** You...bastard…

Constantine looks back at his latest prisoner, almost in admiration. 

**Casca:** You drugged her...kidnapped her. What do you want with her?

She starts to pull herself to her feet, holding onto a nearby desk for balance. A soldier is about to take a step forward, but Constantine holds out his hand, telling him to stop. 

**Constantine:** I admire your fire child. But everyone you see here tonight is highly-trained and dedicated to my cause. Tell me; how did you find us?

Casca smirks, almost cocky. 

**Casca:** It’s obvious, isn’t it? I sensed her. She and I are two halves of the same whole, you know. I know where she is. 

Constantine’s eyes go wide with delight. 

**Constantine:** Ms. Novell, you keep intriguing me. 

Casca can barely speak. Whatever the guards outside did, they must’ve hit her in the chest. She’s holding her diaphragm, and it sounds like she can barely breathe. She has to hiss through the pain. 

**Casca:** Give. Her. Back. 

**Constantine:** I shall not. I’ve never been so lucky in my life, and neither have you. Not only is Kal Novell’s younger sister capable of experiencing vertigo like the Costas’, but she has her own doppelganger in this world, and she has one of the keys. 

He walks over to her. She tries to reach forward and punch him, but he grabs her arm once more. 

**Constantine:** You are truly  **extraordinary** . 

She scowls at him, prepared to fight. She spits at his face, and he nonchalantly wipes the saliva off his face, his light smile twisting into a deep frown, before he slams his fist into her gut. Casca immediately falls to her knees, vomiting onto the floor. 

**Constantine:** Take the others outside. Have them dig their own graves. 

As the soldiers walk away, Constantine notices Rin, severely more damaged than the rest of them. 

**Constantine:** What happened to this one?

The soldier carrying him responds immediately, turning around to face his superior. 

**Soldier:** Put up a hell of a fight. Nearly shot me and a couple others, and stabbed Gibbons in the eye. 

**Constantine:** You were bested by a child?

**Soldier:** He might’ve been the one to kill Austin and Kureger back at the hospital. Whatever this kid is, he’s experienced. 

**Constantine:** You don’t think…

Petra pipes up, pointing her gun at Rin. 

**Petra:** That’s right. I think he might be the child we’ve been hunting this entire time. 

Constantine perks up. Everything is going his way. He was neither a superstitious man, nor a skeptic, but even he had to admit the truth. Fate is on his side. 

**Constantine** , to the guard holding Rin: Set him down. 

Like with Casca, the guard sets Rin down on the ground, wheezing, barely able to move. Even being set on the ground hurts him; his ribs, his lungs, his arms. But Constantine has no pity for an enemy. 

**Constantine:** You were a fool to come here. 

**Rin:** And you were a fool to keep chasing me. I’m just a child. 

**Constantine:** Child or not, you are an enemy, one way or another. I knew it couldn’t be a coincidence that you kept moving to new schools everytime we got near. You were smart about it. 

Constantine sighs, relieved. His many struggles are coming to an end, all at once, one after another. 

**Constantine:** My only question is this. Why?

**Rin:** Why did I run? Isn’t it obvious. You’d have killed me. 

Constantine KICKS RIN IN THE CHEST, cracking his ribs further. Rin screams in pain. 

We briefly linger on Silas. He doesn’t know these children, but they seem to know his daughter. He’s disgusted. Revolted. This assault only further affirms what he already knew: the Outlet is ruthless, and willing to do anything. 

We shift back to Constantine, focused and in full interrogation mode. 

**Constantine:** No, no that’s not what I mean. Why? Why did you come here?

Rin is groaning, holding his chest. He’s in agony, but he won’t let that stop him from back-talking his captor. 

**Rin:** ...why? Why!? Because of people like you. 

**Constantine:** Like me?

**Rin:** All of you. Back in my world, you made my life hell. I had to escape to a world where the multiverse hadn’t been discovered, where you hadn’t taken charge. 

Constantine chuckles, looking back at the shining, beaming blue portal in front of him. 

**Constantine:** Ironic. Seems even in other universes, there are constants. There are always curious people. They always have too many ideas--dangerous ideas. And there is always a portal. 

He looks back over to his guards, pointing at Rin. 

**Constantine:** Take him away. Take him into an empty room, get some more answers out of him. 

CUT, JAMES AND MAURA’S APARTMENT, NIGHT/EARLY MORNING

James is dead asleep in his apartment, Maura in his bed with him, her on the left, him on the right. It’s still dark out. It’s been a horrible, busy day of nonstop calls and accidents. He deserves this sleep, but it doesn’t last long. 

The ring of his phone goes off. He has a text. Groggy and groaning, he reaches over to the nightstand to switch his phone off, but sees a text from Jeanne. The text reads: CALL ME. 

Sighing, James turns his head slightly, looking at Maura, the love of his life. He tries to slowly climb out of bed, quietly, so as to not wake her. He walks out into the living room of his apartment, calling his friend. 

**James:** Jeanne, what’s happ--

**Jeanne:** Casca’s gone. 

James stands to his feet, fully awake now. 

**James:** What?

**Jeanne:** I…I don’t know. I think she’s not telling us everything. She ran off, and the police were called, and we found bodies in the hospital--

**James:** Woah, woah, slow down. What all happened? Where are you?

CUT, THE POLICE STATION, NIGHT/EARLY MORNING

We are on the other end of the call now. Jeanne is sitting on a bench, watching Hazel and Nora. 

Both of their parents have been called, both worried sick about them. Hazel and Nora are approached by two respective sets of parents, dead-tired and annoyed. Nora’s parents wrap her up in a hug, but shoot Jeanne a glare. Hazel’s parents give her a lecture, but they are too far away, and we can’t hear anything of it. 

**Jeanne:** At the police station. Some of Casca’s friends came over. She said she felt weird, and then ran off. A lot...a lot has happened tonight. I don’t know what to make of it. 

In the police station, we pan over a few feet into an adjacent room. Lorenzo is talking to the detective that examined the two bodies at the hospital: DETECTIVE ROY PETERSON. Lorenzo is showing him something on his phone. 

**Lorenzo:** I don’t know what’s happened to them, but we have a GPS on her phone. It looks like she and her friends have gone to…?

**Roy:** Meadowdale University? She a student there?

**Lorenzo:** No.

**Roy:** Any friends there?

**Lorenzo:** No. 

**Roy:** What the hell is she doing there?

**Lorenzo:** I...I wish I knew. I’m just starting to realize how little I really know about her. 

Roy signals for a few other officers to come over his way. When they do, he starts giving orders. 

**Roy:** This girl left with a few other friends, siblings. They live over at an apartment complex near King’s Road. Send a few officers over there and ask some questions. And send some over to Meadowdale University, sounds like that’s where she is. She and her friends have killed two men and are suspected in killing a third. Treat the situation with caution. 

CUT, THE EDGE OF THE PROPERTY OF MEADOWDALE’S CAMPUS, NIGHT

This is in another part we haven’t seen before, on the edge of the campus, far from the sight of anyone or anything else. Two guards have their guns pointed at Kai and Lia, now awake and walking forward with shovels. 

**Soldier 1:** Come on, keep going. 

They walk forward another few steps. The other soldier looks back, and sees they’re quite a distance from anything else. 

**Soldier 2:** Alright, here is good. 

**Soldier 1:** Start digging. 

**Soldier 2:** Don’t try anything funny. 

The two siblings look at each other, trying to formulate a plan, but coming up with nothing. Reluctant, yet defeated, Kai starts digging first. 

In the background, we hear the sound of a car pulling up, slowly, quietly. 

CUT, 10 METERS AWAY, NIGHT

We see PROFESSOR KORELL. He silently, quietly opens the door, and pulls out the handgun he took from Silas’ vault, along with a pair of binoculars from his car. He looks through them, examining the two Dresden siblings digging their own graves. 

**Korell:** Oh, no. 

This is a distraction. And he knows it, but he can’t just sit around and watch two innocent kids get caught up in this mess. 

He starts sneaking forward, crouching low and obscuring himself behind hills, benches and bushes. He hears the sound of soil and shovels and digging. Korell pulls out his firearm and takes aim. 

The camera cuts back to Kai and Lia, the two guards near and slightly out of focus. 

**Kai:** I’m sorry, Lia. I got us caught up in this. And now...this is the end. 

**Lia:** Shut up, we can think of something. 

**Soldier 1:** Stop talking, keep digging. 

**Kai:** If we had just called someone else--the Novells or your friends or the cops--we wouldn’t be in this mess. 

**Lia:** Shut up, we can think of something. 

The second soldier points his gun into Kai’s back. 

**Soldier 2:** He *said*, to stop talking. 

**Kai:** But--

CRACK. 

A gunshot! Korell emerges from his hiding spot, a bullet whizzing through the night air and into the first soldier’s neck. 

**Soldier 2:** What the--

He turns around, taking aim, about to pull the trigger and unload a magazine into the scientist, but Lia FLIPS AROUND, CRACKING HER SHOVEL OVER HIS HEAD. The soldier crumples to the ground, still twitching slightly, and Korell fires a shot into his head. The soldiers are both dead. 

He looks over to Korell, almost awkwardly. He raises a hand. 

**Korell:** Hello. My name is Logan Korell. 

Kai and Lia look to each other, briefly unsure of how to trust each other, and a bit disarmed by the sight of him shooting two soldiers with such accuracy. 

CUT, IN FRONT OF THE PORTAL

Cassandra is carried into the room, arms and legs tied, by a soldier. Casca is handcuffed to a nearby desk, which itself is bolted into the ground. She struggles against it, but cannot move. When she sees Cassandra, she cries out for her. 

**Casca:** CASS!

**Cassandra:** Casca! I’m so sorry to get you involved in this. You were never meant to. 

She looks over at Silas, still bleeding profusely from his leg. 

**Cassandra:** Mr. Costas?

He looks at Cassandra, unfamiliar with her. He’s more entranced by the sight of the two doppelgangers next to each other. 

**Silas:** You’re proof, aren’t you? That it worked, in another universe

Cassandra nods. Silas, amidst his mortal terror and agony, smiles. He’s nothing if not prideful, and to see living proof that his machine (or, rather, the machine from another version of himself) worked...this gives him immense satisfaction. 

**Constantine:** Cassandra Novell. What do you remember about coming to this world?

**Cassandra:** Nothing I’d ever tell you. 

**Constantine:** That fire, it’s a constant. It burns across both girls, across the family. Across universes. (To soldier) What did she have on her?

The soldier that brought Cassandra in steps forward. 

**Soldier:** Not much. Just this. 

The soldier steps forward, and hanging from his gloved hand is...THE KEY. Silver and shining in the blue light of the portal. Cassandra struggles. 

**Cassandra:** No, no, no! Give that back! 

Constantine looks at the two keys in his hands, before smiling slightly. 

**Constantine:** This is brilliant...brilliant! Everything is playing out better than I could have hoped! At this rate, we won’t even need Costas. 

Silas suddenly looks concerned. Gravely, gravely concerned. On some level, he’s aware of what’s about to happen. 

**Silas:** Wait, no--

Constantine reaches behind him and pulls a gun out of his pocket. Without even looking, he SHOOTS SILAS IN THE HEAD. 

In the split-second before, Casca also realizes what’s happening, and she covers her ears. The sound of the firearm going off is DEAFENING, especially in this enclosed, indoor room. We hear the sound of ringing (whether it be Cassandra’s ears, Pyrrha’s, or Constantine’s is unclear), but it continues throughout the next several seconds of the scene. 

Pyrrha is crying, sobbing. She can barely say anything through the screams and tears, but we can make out a single word on her lips: “dad.” These screams aren’t heard; everything is silent. 

Blood has splattered on Cassandra’s face, and she looks shocked, horrified. She can’t say anything, can’t do anything, but look horrified at what’s happened. 

Casca doesn’t look, she doesn’t want to, she can’t. Her eyes are closed tight, and long after the gunshot has occurred, she refuses to take her hands off her ears. The ringing of the gunshot continues. 

Constantine walks past them, the ringing slightly lessening, and lessening, until noise has finally returned. 

**Constantine:** Finally. 

He sounds happy, relieved. He rolls over the two keys in his hands. 

**Constantine:** We need not wait any longer. Let us begin. 

CUT, THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING, BACK ENTRANCE

We see Kai, Lia and Korell all sneaking in, moving as one. Korell is in the front, gun gripped in his hands, but his grip is shaky at best. He’s a man of science, of research, of knowledge; his hands were meant to create, not to kill. He wields the gun loosely, as if he’s disgusted by the weapon. 

Lia and Kai both seem jumpy, on edge. Blood, dirt and sweat clings to their skin, and Lia has a battle-hardened look on her face, the same look she had when she attacked the doppelgangers in her home. She’s out for blood. 

**Kai:** Sir, we--

**Korell:** My name is Harry. Harry Korell. 

Kai pauses for a moment, a bit taken aback. Now doesn’t seem like the time for introductions. 

**Korell:** I’m one of the scientists here…

He trails off, suddenly stopping himself from talking about the nature of his work and the larger multiverse. He looks back at Kai and Lia, giving the Dresden siblings a quick examination. Based on the situation he found them in, they most likely already knew about the parallel worlds. 

**Korell** , clearing his throat: I was working on studying parallel universes here. 

When neither of them express any surprise at all, he figures his assumption was correct; they already knew of the existence of alternate worlds. 

**Lia:** You brought Cassandra into this world?

**Korell:** Ah, so you met her? But no, that wasn’t our doing. A portal doesn’t necessarily need to be active for someone to come into that universe. Our scanners told us that she was propelled here by a similar portal in her own universe. 

**Kai:** ...right. Korell, our friend was taken, we think he might be around her--

**Korell:** No time, we need to find those animals and fast, before they deactivate everything. 

Lia and Kai look at each other, shooting doubtful looks. Lia taps Korell on the shoulder, trying to get his attention. 

**Korell:** Child, what is it--

Lia GRABS THE GUN out of his hand, pushing him against a wall with her other. The shove makes a dull thud that echoes throughout the silent, empty halls. 

**Korell** , hissing **:** Have you lost your damn mind? What are you doing!? Those guards could be around any corner. 

**Lia:** You seem to misunderstand the situation.  **You** people are the ones who got us into this mess by activating that stupid portal.  **You** people are the ones who killed Kal Novell. 

Korell’s expression changes, a brief moment of recognition about that name. 

**Lia:** We appreciate you saving us back there, but let’s make one thing clear: we are here to survive and get answers, not save your skin or your stupid machine. 

Lia adjusts her grip, and points the gun at Korell. 

**Lia:** Now, are you going to help us, or not?

CUT, IN FRONT OF THE PORTAL

Pyrrha has stopped crying by this point, but Cassandra and Casca are both dead silent. Constantine is pacing around the two doppelgangers, talking to both of them. In the background, we see soldiers drag away Silas’ body, leaving a trail of blood behind them. 

**Constantine:** Tell me, Novell’s, how is it you two are connected? 

He turns to Casca, gun still in his hand. 

**Constantine:** Whatever she saw, you must have seen too, correct? It’s a phenomenon only a few before me have had the chance to study. 

Casca says nothing, but she fidgets slightly. He's hit it right on the mark. 

**Constantine:** I presume the same must have applied to your other senses, such as hearing. So I take it whatever she feels, you might be able to feel as well? 

Without looking, he slowly raises his gun, pointing it at Cassandra’s foot. 

**Constantine:** Is there no limit to your bond? Is pain shared? 

**Pyrrha:** How can you live with yourself?

He turns around, finding Pyrrha’s gaze. 

**Pyrrha:** You claim that you do what you do for humanity’s greater good...but you kill innocent men like my father, and you torture young women for your own amusement. 

Constantine scoffs. 

**Constantine:** I gain no amusement from this. I do what I do to remove threats to humanity, or to better our scientific knowledge. 

He raises the gun, pointing it at Pyrrha’s head. Tears stream down her face. 

**Constantine:** Are you going to be as much of a problem as your father?

She shakes her head ‘no.’

**Constantine:** Good. 

He turns around, facing his soldiers. 

**Constantine:** Men, let’s begin shutting down the portal. 

They all salute Constantine, speaking in unison. 

**Soldiers** , all together: Sir, yes sir!

CUT, THE LECTURE HALL, MEADOWDALE UNIVERSITY

This scene is set in one of the abandoned lecture halls of the university. We see Kai, Lia and Korell all sneaking in the hallways, approaching a single well-lit room. A dull thud booms from the open room. 

Petra is interrogating Rin, beating the life out of him. She slams the butt of her gun into his face, shattering his nose and splattering blood everywhere. A drop of it lands on her face, and Petra nonchalantly wipes it off with a gloved hand, before punching him in the stomach. 

Rin throws up from the punch to the gut. He is weak, injured, battered, and exhausted, but not broken. His arms and legs are tied, and he can barely move. 

**Petra:** Talk, Saito. How did you come to find out about us?

Rin says nothing. He breathes heavily, but he does not yield. 

**Petra:** Who taught you how to fight?

Again, Rin says nothing. 

**Petra:** What are the conditions of your home universe?

**Rin:** Go to hell. 

Without saying a word, Petra kicks him in the chest, and Rin crumples to the ground. The camera angle changes slightly, and we see that there is another soldier in the room, his helmet removed, exposing a scarred face with black, focused eyes. 

**Petra:** You have no reason to resist. Your friends are gone. 

**Rin:** I refuse to believe that. 

**Petra:** You’re making this more difficult for yourself than it needs to be. 

She kneels down, grabbing him by the hair. 

The perspective shifts. As we hear Petra’s next few lines of dialogue, we see Korell, Lia, and Kai all outside of the room, leaning against the wall, ready to attack and save their friend. 

**Petra:** Your friends are gone. The police aren’t arriving, and you have been caught after all these months. 

**Rin:** I have nothing to say. 

**Petra:** You might have killed several of our men over the last few months, but you are by no means invincible. You are just a boy. 

She back hands him, punctuating each word for emphasis as she hits him over and over. 

**Petra:** You. Can. Still. Feel. Pain. 

On the last word, rather than hitting him again, she throws him back to the ground. He is breathing heavy, blood staining his clothes and covering his teeth. He turns to the side, looking out the door…

And he sees KAI, poking his head out. He nods at Rin, holding up a single finger as if to say ‘one moment,’ before disappearing back around the corner. Rin is about to be saved, and he exhales, grateful. 

Petra reaches into her holster, pulling out a glock. She turns the safety off and points it at Rin. 

**Petra:** One last chance. What are the conditions of your home universe?

He says nothing. 

**Petra:** Who taught you how to fight?

Nothing. 

**Petra:** How did you learn about us?

Nothing. 

Petra wraps her finger around the trigger. 

**Rin:** What a disappointment. It’s almost a shame to kill someone so talented. 

She exhales, her gaze softening, and an almost sadistic gleam settling into her eyes as the corners of her mouth turn up slightly. 

**Petra:** Almost…

Suddenly, Lia and Kai RUSH IN. Lia immediately rushes to the soldier, who is leaning on the wall to the left of the doorway. He reaches for his gun, but she is faster, shooting him in the side, and he crumples. 

Kai flanks to the right, next to a desk. Petra immediately turns her gun on him, but Rin suddenly kicks his legs out at Petra, knocking her off her balance. Her gun goes off, but she misses Kai completely, who keeps running. 

Petra falls, landing flat on her back, and her gun falls out of her grip, sliding slightly. Korell runs into the room, and while Petra reaches for her gun, Kai pounces on her, tackling it out of her grasp. However, at the last second, the gun goes off once more before Kai can wrestle it from her. 

**Lia:** KAI!

She runs over, looking terrified, but finds no bullet wound on her brother. She hears a groan of pain and turns around to find...KORELL, BLEEDING OUT. The stray bullet didn’t hit Kai, but it hit him right in the chest. He falls against the wall, leaving a puddle of blood. 

**Petra** : What the hell do you think you’re doing?!

**Kai:** Stopping you!

He pins her to the ground. Rin reaches over a grabs a pair of handcuffs off her back, giving them to Kai. He cuffs Petra to a nearby desk, bolted in the ground, and takes her gun away. 

While Kai works on untying Rin, Lia rushes over to comfort Korell, and despite every horrible thing that she’s seen working in the ER and fighting the Outlet, she is horrified and disgusted when she realizes how grave his injuries are. 

**Lia:** Shit. Shit, shit, we need to stop the bleeding. 

Lia takes off her sweatshirt, ready to stop the bleeding, but Korell grabs her wrists. 

**Korell:** No, it’s too late. 

He coughs blood, and struggles to breath, deflating in pain. 

**Korell:** Stupid girl. I know a fatal injury when I see one. 

He looks out at Petra, and feels nothing but contempt for the younger woman, before turning back to Lia. His grip around her wrist tightens, and Lia looks a bit shaken by the sudden change in his behavior. 

**Korell,** weakly: Don’t...let them win. Please, save my research. 

He coughs once more. By this point, Kai has untied the beaten and battered Rin, and they are approaching Korell, a sympathetic, almost sad look on their faces. 

**Korell:** Please...my life’s...work…

He trails off, and takes his last breath. Lia lowers her head, blood covering her clothes. She reaches over and takes his glasses off, closing Korell’s eyes. 

**Rin:** Lia, we need to go. 

Lia nods. 

**Lia:** We are way in over our heads. 

The three walk out of the room. Petra is still handcuffed to the desk, screaming. 

**Petra:** You people don’t know what you’re doing! You’re all going to burn!

CUT, THE BACK ROAD LEADING TO MEADOWDALE, NIGHT/EARLY MORNING

We have a sideways shot of the forest road. Police cars fly down the road, sirens blaring and on their way to Meadowdale. 

In the front of the other cars and leading the pack, we have detective Roy Peterson. In the passenger’s seat, a younger detective is looking out the window. They pass by a dense pack of trees, before their eyes land on the university building. 

**Roy’s Partner:** This the place?

**Roy:** Yeah, this is it. 

As his car pulls up to the main entrance, he finds the bodies left behind by Rin’s attack. Roy kneels down, finding bullet shells and small splashes of blood on the ground. 

Roy turns around, and finds the other police cars all pulling in as well. Other officers pour out, at attention and ready to aid Peterson however they can. 

**Roy:** Everybody, follow me closely. I get the feeling we’re about to get a lot more than we bargained for. 

CUT, IN FRONT OF THE PORTAL

This time, we see the “Portal Room” from another perspective; Rin, Lia and Kai are all descending from an adjacent entrance, and find Pyrrha, Casca and Cassandra surrounded by numerous guards. The entire room is twisted and dense, filled with machinery and computers of all shapes and sizes. Rin, Lia and Kai are on a slightly more elevated part of the room, looking down at the others. 

Another guard runs in the room, immediately addressing Constantine. The leader is pouring away over notes and computers, trying to figure out how to shut off the still-activated portal. 

**Soldier:** Sir, the Meadowdale police have arrived. 

Constantine perks up. 

**Constantine** , enraged **:** We don’t have time to deal with them. Find Petra and tell her to get out there. We’re close to the end.

**Soldier:** Yes, sir. Right away, sir. 

The soldiers scramble off, but Constantine calls out to a couple of the soldiers next to Casca and Cassandra. 

**Constantine:** No, not you two. You stay with me and watch the Novell girls. 

**Kai** , whispering: We’re gonna be in some deep shit when they find Petra handcuffed in that room. 

**Lia:** We don’t have time to worry about that now. 

**Rin:** We’re in just as much trouble if the police find us. Remember what I told you guys? I’m not even from this world, my identity isn’t my own, and they have video evidence of me killing those guards back at the hospital. 

Kai face-palms. 

**Kai:** We are absolutely fucked, aren’t we?

In front of the portal, Constantine has inserted both keys into the nearby computers, and is preparing to turn them both and deactivate it permanently. 

**Casca** , pleading: Please, you don’t have to do this. 

**Cassandra:** This is the only way for me to get back to my own world. 

Constantine shrugs. 

**Constantine:** That’s fine by me. I intend to keep you both and observe your psychic connection, pushing it as far as I can. You people are one-in-a-million, and while I acknowledge the stupidity of your brother in tampering with forces he couldn’t understand, I’d be a fool to waste this chance. 

Casca is suddenly FURIOUS, kicking and thrashing about in her restraints. 

**Casca:** Don’t you talk about him like that!

Constantine ignores the girl, and he reaches for the keys in the foreground of the shot. But in the background of the shot…

Rin LEAPS OVER, tackling one of Constantine’s two soldiers to the ground. The other turns 90 degrees to face him, but Rin is already pulling the rifle out of the man’s hands. The Dresden siblings are on him in a flash, and all three teenagers bring the soldiers to the ground, working as one. 

Constantine panics, and he twists the keys. The portal begins to POWER DOWN. 

**Cassandra:** NO!   
  


Using Petra’s gun, Kai fires two shots at Constantine, who leaps away from behind the computer. Kai ducks behind a nearby table; Pyrrha is still tied to a chair, but Lia runs over and drags her away, putting her behind a nearby piece of machinery. 

Constantine ducks behind his own cover, firing shots back at Kai. The entire situation is CHAOS. Worse still, we can faintly hear more gunshots from several rooms over; the Outlet soldiers are fighting the Meadowdale police officers, what few of them are left. 

**Constantine:** Don’t try to fight this! 

He sounds more frantic, more panicked than usual. After luck going in his favor and practically delivering to him the tools of his success, his allies are suddenly falling like flies. 

**Constantine:** Man wasn’t meant to have this power! It’s too dangerous!

Rin runs over, grabbing Casca and pulling her away as Constantine backs up slowly. Constantine fires a shot at the two of them, but Rin pulls her away in time. 

**Constantine:** Your own hubris is getting the better of you!

Rin quickly unties Casca’s restraints. 

**Rin:** Sorry for getting you guys into this mess. 

He finishes untying the ropes. Casca holds a hand up to his face, an almost tender gesture. She echoes their conversation from the first episode. 

**Casca:** You say sorry too much. 

Between his black eye, bloodied face and busted nose, Rin manages to crack a smile. 

It doesn’t last long. Constantine is suddenly behind them, appearing out of nowhere like some kind of horror movie villain. Rin is on his feet in an instant, kicking the gun out of Constantine’s right hand, but the older man grabs Rin by the helm of his shirt with his left hand. Casca leaps at Constantine, and all three fall to the floor in a mass of limbs. 

Lia and Kai rush over, twisting the Gold and Silver keys of the portal back in place. The portal immediately begins to restart before it even turns off all the way, and blue light once again fills the room. 

**Constantine** , agitated **:** No, no! What are you doing!?

Constantine looks out in front of him. Kai, Lia, Rin and Casca are all slowly approaching, the portal behind him. He turns his gun at Casca and fires, but a soft click tells Constantine that he’s run out of ammo. He throws the gun to his side, holding out his hand as Casca approaches. 

**Constantine:** Novell, you wish to see your brother, yes?

Casca remains cold and stone-faced, saying nothing. 

**Constantine:** Please, I know that I’ve caused pain for your family, but it was all for the greater good. I’ll make it up, set right what once went wrong. But please, don’t let this technology fall into the wrong hands…

The camera angle shifts, and we see he’s holding a concealed knife with his other hand, ready to strike. When Casca gets close enough, he lunges at her, but PYRRHA TACKLES HIM INSTEAD. 

The two go tumbling down, landing on a platform right in front of the portal. Pyrrha is weak but has the element of surprise, and she’s wrestling the knife out of his hands, or at least trying to. 

Kai runs over, the gun still drawn. 

**Rin:** You have one bullet left. 

**Lia:** Shoot him!

**Casca:** You can’t!

Kai raises the gun, but Casca grabs his arm. 

**Casca:** She’s blocking the view, you might shoot her instead!

**Rin:** Kai, take the fucking shot!

Constantine kicks Pyrrha off him and leaps to his own feet, slashing at her with the knife. It’s a sharp, shiny blade, about 12 inches long and gleaming in the light of the portal. He nicks her several times, leaving cuts on her arms and face. 

He flips the knife and wields it in a reverse grip position, lunging at her, but Pyrrha predicts this. She grabs onto his wrist and flips Constantine, using his own momentum and weight against him. The knife ends up in his shoulder, and blood pours everywhere as Constantine lets out a bloodcurdling scream of pain. 

**Constantine:** You little…!

Pyrrha watches him writhe in pain, trying desperately to stop the bleeding. 

**Pyrrha:** You killed my mother, and you killed my father!

The elevator dings. Kai, Rin, Lia, Casca and Cassandra look terrified for a moment, thinking it’s more Outlet soldiers...but instead, the MEADOWDALE POLICE ARRIVES. 

Detective Roy Peterson is leading the charge, his gun drawn and pointed at...well, everyone in the room. 

**Roy:** Everybody get down on the ground!

CUT, THE POLICE STATION BREAK ROOM, EARLY MORNING

We see Casca sitting in the police station, a blanket around her shoulders, a cup of freshly-brewed coffee in her hands. Steam rises from the liquid, grazing Casca’s face. She stares into the liquid, deep in thought. Behind her, the sun is shining in a small window; the night has finally ended. 

Two sharp knocks are heard, and Casca looks up at the door. 

**Casca:** Uh...come in?

The door opens slowly, and she finds Roy, looking dead-tired. 

**Roy:** Ms. Novell, you’re almost free to go, we just need to ask you a few more questions. 

He pulls out a small notepad and starts reading through them. 

**Roy:** Were you ever in contact with the man claiming to be Rin Saito before?

**Casca:** Uh, yes. A couple of days ago, he came in from Japan--

She looks up, and finds Roy raising an eyebrow in disbelief. 

**Casca:** ...or so he claims. And he moved in with my neighbor and close friend, Kai Dresden, and started going to our school. 

**Roy:** Alright. Question 2: Were you aware of the kidnapping and attempted murder at the Dresden household that occured the prior night?

**Casca:** I was not. I was only made aware of this shortly before my own kidnapping. 

Roy is sounding more gruff and disbelieving with each question. 

**Roy:** Alright. Question 3: Did you have any contact with the woman claiming your identity until the prior night?

**Casca:** I did not, but she didn’t claim to have my identity, she--

**Roy:** Right, right, we got the full story from your folks. 

Casca looks both embarrassed and frustrated at having been cut off, but she can’t deny it all sounds crazy. 

**Roy:** Final question. Did you have any part to play in the armed men and mercenaries attempting to claim the lives of your friends the prior night?

Now, Casca is sounding more agitated than embarrassed. 

**Casca:** No, sir. Like I already explained, I was also in the car when they were being shot at. I’ve never even held a gun in my life before tonight. 

Roy puts the notepad down, having just finished jotting down Casca’s answers. He looks out at the window and the sun rising, contemplative. 

**Roy:** A lot of people died last night. There was a lot of stuff that happened that I’m still trying to wrap my head around. 

Casca nods, sympathetic. 

**Casca:** Me too. 

**Roy:** Good officers of mine. One’s with friends, family, loved ones. Mr. Costas...I didn’t know much about him, but a lot of the community respects him. Same for many of the other professors that lost their lives. 

**Casca:** So, you and your men...saw that basement?

Roy rubs his eyes. 

**Roy:** Yeah. I still can’t quite figure out what to believe. 

**Casca:** And that man...you arrested him?

**Roy:** Yeah, he’s in custody. Some of the feds are coming by to take him off our hands. Good riddance, I say. I don’t buy any of the sci-fi bullshit you kids were talking about, but something about that place…

He trails off, not even sure where to begin when discussing the portal. 

**Roy:** Luckily, some of our best men are examining it. Nothing I need to worry about. 

**Casca:** And Pyrrha?

At this point, this final scene turns into something of a montage. As Casca and Detective Peterson discuss everyone involved in the incident, we have scenes with no sound of the ultimate fate of those characters, forming something of a silent montage. 

**Roy:** Well, I’m not sure…

CUT, THE COSTAS HOUSEHOLD, AFTERNOON

We see the house, completely trashed and destroyed. Pyrrha--now with patched up wounds and her arm in a cast--is there with two other officers, gathering her stuff. 

**Roy,** voiceover: We concluded she had nothing to do with the other crimes committed last night. The perpetrators responsible for her father’s kidnapping and eventual death have been found. 

**Casca** , voiceover **:** But, she has no other family, does she?

CUT, THE DRESDEN HOUSEHOLD, EVENING

**Roy,** voiceover: No immediate family in the States, no. But she has family in Athens, a couple of relatives from her mother’s side coming to take her home. Until then, she’s agreed to stay with the Dresden family. 

We have a scene of the Dresden family, welcoming Pyrrha into their small, cozy but homely apartment with open arms. 

**Casca** , voiceover: And as for Lia and Kai? Are they...going to jail for what they did?

There’s a pause, as if Roy’s trying to contemplate his own actions. 

CUT, OUTSIDE OF MEADOWDALE, EVENING

We have a shot of the doppelganger Theo and Faithe running out of Meadowdale. They pass by a sign that says “WELCOME TO MEADOWDALE,” and the two give it a brief glance, before continuing to walk past it, willing to make a new life for themselves in this foreign universe. 

**Roy,** voiceover: We, uh...ruled what they’ve done as self-defense. They were attacked in their own homes by people posing as their parents. Pretty traumatizing stuff. It’s amazing they were able to fight back and survive as well as they did. 

CUT, THE HOSPITAL, EVENING

We have a shot of Rin sitting in a hospital bed, Bella by his side. 

**Roy:** We’re allowing the Saito boy to stay with them. He was roughed up pretty bad, so he’s in the hospital right now, but he’ll recover. 

CUT, THE PORTAL ROOM, UNKNOWN TIME

We hear Roy sigh once more, the voice over continuing. 

This time, the shot is of Cassandra hugging Casca and her parents in front of the portal, an unknown amount of time in the future. 

**Roy** , voiceover **:** As for that Cassandra woman…

**Casca** , eagerly: Yes?

**Roy:** As far as the rest of the world, including the hospital staff and one Margaret Mourey, are concerned, Cassandra Novell was the separated-at-birth twin of Casca Novell. 

**Casca:** ...I notice that you aren’t including yourself in that assessment. 

**Roy:** Kid, I honestly don’t know what to believe. 

**Casca:** Believe what I tell you. 

**Roy:** But for now, we’re releasing her into your parents’ custody. You, the elder Dresden siblings and the Saito boy are still all being placed under house arrest and have community service to attend to. But...we understand the traumatic impact of the night, and we’re allowing you to visit the university one last time before it shuts down. 

CUT, THE MEADOWDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT BREAK ROOM, EARLY MORNING

Casca raises an eyebrow, taking a sip of the coffee. 

**Casca:** Are...the machines still operational?

**Roy:** For now, yes. The Costas girl has discovered thousands of pages of research about the machines in her father’s study. Being that she’s of age, she’s allowed to serve as a consultant on the case. We’re allowing you and your…*clears throat* twin sister to visit the facility with your parents and her. 

It sinks in. Roy is allowing Cassandra a chance to go home, and Casca to go with her, should she desire. 

**Casca** : I know you have your doubts about what we said, so I want to ask: you...understand the opportunity you are presenting us, yes?

CUT, THE PORTAL ROOM, UNKNOWN TIME

**Roy** , voiceover **:** I understand perfectly, yes. 

Cassandra is hugging Jeanne and Lorenzo...but suddenly, Casca is hugging her parents as well. And we see a large bag strapped to her bag. Cassandra isn’t just saying goodbye to her “parents,” Casca is as well. 

The two girls--perfect mirror images of one-another--look into the portal, then at each other. 

**Casca:** I...I’m ready to see Kal again. 

Cassandra nods, tears welling in her eyes. 

**Cassandra:** Me too. 

Casca wraps her arm around her doppelganger. The camera zooms out, and we see Kai, Rin and Pyrrha all in the room with her parents, all waving goodbye. 

Casca turns around, and walks over to them. She gives her three friends a hug, the quartet briefly reunited once more. 

**Kai:** Come back to us. 

**Casca:** I will. 

She pulls away, tears welling in her eyes as well. All four of them are in varying degrees of injury, but they look happy above all else. 

Casca smiles, and turns back to the Portal. Cassandra is waiting on the platform. 

**Cassandra:** You ready to go?

**Casca:** As I’ll ever be. 

Casca takes her doppelganger’s hand in her own, before stepping into the portal together. 

THE END. 


End file.
